Lossing the Soul
by Steam Detective
Summary: What's up with Bit? What happened to make him this cold, and what exactly is he fighting. Placed several years after the Royal Cup. Warning Cursing and Violence. Read and Review
1. Battle Hardened

S.D.: Hello, I'm Steam Detective, and this is my side kick Knuckles The Echidna. Knuckles: Don't they know who you are already? S.D.: Probably not I've only done two fics before this and I deleted the first and my second was in the video game section. Ahem. I do not own Zoids in any for whatsoever except for having a few of the models which decorate the area around my computer as I type. Anyway enjoy the story and please review, no flames please.  
  
Fugitive  
  
Chapter 1: Battle Hardened  
  
Littering the ground of a dark moonless desert night lay the remains of at least ten Command Wolves, all torn to pieces, legs ripped off, cockpits smashed, all of them either shot up, cut to pieces or sliced in half. The last of the group wandered slowly, carefully, looking for something it couldn't see, but knew was there. Only at the last minute did the wolf and it's pilot see the streak of yellow come crashing down on it's cockpit, destroying the wolf and instantly killing the pilot. He was the last to be destroyed and with him dead there were no survivors.  
  
Although it was dark with almost no light the unmistakable silhouette of the Liger Zero was easy to identify even with it's new black armor. All that could be clearly made out were it's glowing red eyes and it's claws still pulsing with energy. Inside the cockpit sat Bit Cloud. This Bit, however, was not the one most had come to recognize, his hair had become very shaggy, he obviously hadn't shaved in a while and his eyes were missing the playful enthusiastic spark they had once held and in there place was a cold, desolate void. He was wearing a black jacket with a red stripe on each sleeve and one on each side of the jackets zipper. He whore a blue shirt underneath the jacket along with a pistol, and whore blue genes with black boots and a knife strapped to his right leg. He did however still have his old gloves, but that was all that was left of his former image. "Good work Liger, doesn't look like they'll be getting up anytime soon" he said in a cold voice which now had lost all warmth. Liger Zero then turned around and walked away with neither it nor it's pilot looking back at the damage they had caused.  
  
The police arrived sometime in the early afternoon and immediately began combing over the site.  
  
Officer 1: Damn, this's the third one he's hit this month and it's only the seventh. Sergeant: "What do you expect, after everything else he's done this shouldn't come as any sort of surprise". Lieutenant: "What makes you think it was Bit Cloud, if its not it wouldn't be the first time someone tried to use him as an alibi". Sergeant: "Look around Lieutenant, see those marks on a bunch of the wolves? Well the only thing that can do that is a Strike Laser Claw and only two zoids have that, Liger Zero and the Shadow Fox and this doesn't look like a Fox's handy work". Officer 1: "I don't know, the Fox's pilot's awful shady". Sergeant: "You mean Hunter? Naw, couldn't be him, he may be a drunken bar fighter but he doesn't do stuff like this and besides I've seen tons of attacks like this one and the attack patterns that seem to've been used are ones Cloud uses". Lieutenant: "Yeah I guess you're right, sorry but it's become a habit for me to look the other way first, my kid still sees Cloud as a hero and doesn't like to be told anything else and he's not the only one". Officer 1: "We know, that's one of the reasons why he's still at large is because the community knows him personally and most still remember him as the under dog who beat the Back Draft and won the Royal Cup". Lieutenant: "You think people would be a little less ready to support him considering almost no one ever survives his attacks" he said pointing to officers loading bloody and mangled corpses into body bags. Officer 1: "They're all criminals, whether it's a crime or not, people don't really care". Officer off in distance: "Hey how bout' a hand over here?" Officer 1: "Well, duty calls".  
  
In his old gray, rusted jeep Brad Hunter was heading for the nearest town, specifically the town bar, as fast as the old piece of junk would go. Now nearing the end of his mid-thirties Brad looked pretty much the same as always, his hair was just as shaggy as ever but shorter now only just passing his neck. Although his sunglasses obscured it, he now had several wrinkles under his eyes, mostly from stress, and had a small beard on his chin. He was wearing a yellow shirt with a black vest over it long with black pants, he still did have that blue jem hanging around his neck but otherwise he had discarded his old wardrobe.  
  
Pulling into the small parking lot in front of an old rectangular bar he attracted few looks, everyone was pretty used to the site of him at that point. Brad received the same result walking into the bar turning only a few heads as he casually walked in and sat at the counter next to a man with shaggy blond hair. Brad: "You take some big risks sitting in a bar in the middle of the day considering you're a wanted man and all". Bit: "You know everyone here couldn't care less and the guys who could I can knock on their asses". Brad took off his glasses and as the bartender gave him a bottle of beer. Brad: "I guess when ya got nothing to lose ya don't really care what happens". Bit: "You got it, speaking of stuff to lose, how's Naomi and the kids". Brad: "Naomi's just fine and the twins are still a handful, they get into all sorts of trouble and we couldn't tell them apart if Jason didn't have that birthmark on his cheek, but what can anyone expect from six-year olds". Leon: "Not much". Bit: "Hey Leon". Brad: "Hey, what's up". Leon, who had just walked in sat down on the other side of Bit. Leon: "Nothing much, how bout' you guys?" Brad: "Can't complain". Bit: "I'm not dead or in jail so fine I guess". Leon was, like Brad, in his mid- thirties and still had the same old hair cut. He wore a red sleeved shirt with a navy blue jacket with the sleeves rolled up over it and kaki pants. The only noticeable difference was that his face was beginning to resemble his father's. Brad: "How's your solo career?" Leon: "Not bad, but that's the only thing going okay. Some stupid young punks are trying to use the Blitz Team as their name even though I've got a copy write on it." Bit: (in an annoyed tone) "Bastard punks." Leon: "So Bit, you still on your attacking people faze, I hear you took out about twelve Command Wolves last night." Brad: "What?! Again? Damn it Bit, you do this so often they hardly mention this in the news anymore, not to mention the bounty on your head's gettin' bigger." Bit: "These attacks aren't random ya know, this isn't just petty vandalism, besides who cares about that stupid bounty anyway?" Leon: "By the looks of it they do". Bit turned his head to the door to see four men walk in. Bit: (under his breath) "God damn it!"  
  
Bit and Brad quickly finished the beers they had been drinking and stood up, Leon quickly joined them. The four men all had scraggly hair except for one who was bold; each was wearing white shirts, black jackets and jeans and had the same sinister drunken smirk on their faces. Bold Thug: "You Bit?" Bit: "Depends." Bold thug: "We're here to collect the bounty on your head, make this easy on yourself and come quietly". The thug made a grab for Bit but he grabbed the guy's wrist and then punched him in between the eyes. The other thugs jumped in to help but so did Brad and Leon. Everyone in the bar just watched while the guys who were close just backed up and the bartender grabbed everything breakable off the counter near the fight. The bold thug Bit had punched reeled back then came back at Bit ready to hit him in the face, however it didn't work. Bit quickly grabbed the guy's neck then forced his upper body down as he kneed the guy in the stomach and then brought his elbow crashing into his neck. Another thug came at him with a knife. Bit drew the knife at his hip and knocked the other guy's knife out of his hand and then punched him in the nose still holding the knife. He quickly kicked the first guy back into the thug that had just attacked him, sending them both to the floor. Leon blocked the other guy punching him in the gut then upper cutting him in the chin, when the moron came at him again; Leon grabbed his arm and then put his hand in the thug's stomach and threw him onto a table which quickly broke. The last guy fell quickly against Brad as he punched him an the side of the head, broke the beer bottle he had been holding and slashed the thug across the eyes with it and kicked him in the face, sending him to the floor screaming and clutching his bleeding face.  
  
Leon walked up to the bar tender and gave him money for the table he broke. Leon: "Here's your money and I'll take one for the road." Brad: "Me too." Bit didn't bother getting another drink, he never had more than two or three beers, he figured wanted men couldn't afford to get hammered. As the three of them left everyone got back to business as usual, there were always people after Bit and all of them had gotten used to some idiots coming to claim the reward. The bartender really didn't care. Bit and the others always paid for everything they broke so he was constantly getting new things and because Bit was wanted and couldn't risk having a tab he always paid immediately and so did his friends. He then went about his usual business, taking out two beers opening them stomping on the guy who was screaming on the floor to knock him out and then pouring beer into each of there mouths and a little on their shirts. He then called the police and alerted them of four drunks who had started and lost a fight in his bar.  
  
Bit, Brad and Leon left the bar and went there separate ways. Leon wasn't the type to drink and drive and if Brad got arrested Naomi would have a fit so they stayed, Bit had other things to do so no one left the town. Just as all three of them left a young man, apparently in his early thirties, stepped in front of the bar they had just left. He had spiky black hair, was wearing a black sleeved shirt with a green vest over it, brown pants and pilots boots. Jamie: "So this is the town Bit hangs out in, definitely looks like a place he'd be."  
  
S.D.: Well that's all you get for one chapter. Knuckles: Isn't that kind of a cheat? S.D.: No, I can only write so much for the first chapter, if I keep going into the story I'll give too much away and if I just add I'll trail off. Knuckles: Like you're doing now? S.D.: Yes like I'm doing n... Hey! Why you!  
  
PLEASE READ. LEE POR FAVOR Please review I'd appreciate some ideas and suggestions you know more detail less detail this should happen. Can't guarantee I'll use it but still. And please don't be rude. 


	2. Search

S.D.: Hello everybody! Thanks for reviewing, as you can see I updated as soon as I could. I have most of the story mapped out in my head so I'm just smoothing over rough edges adding fillers and deciding what order certain events should happen in. Knuckles: He still needs your help though this guy couldn't write his way out of a paper bag. S.D.: Hey! I did not manifest you to make fun of me! And that comment made no sense! Ahem. Anyway I do not; I repeat do not own Zoids no matter how badly I want to. Oh and before I forget. Knuckles: with you that's pretty fast. S.D.: Quiet you! Please give me an example the next time you make a suggestion on my writing style, however I think I understand what is being said and to make it clearer when people are talking their names are in "()". Enjoy!  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 2: Search  
  
(Junk Dealer) "Well Bit here's those circuits you requested." (Bit) "Thanks old man, be seeing ya." Bit left the junk shop carrying a small bundle under his arm, he had ordered some rare circuits for one thing or another and while he was waiting for the effects of the alcohol to wear off he'd decided to see if they were in. Bit had been in this closed heart cold stage for about six years at this point. He was now thirty-two and very few people know what event had caused this change in attitude but when he left, the Blitz Team ceased to exist.  
  
Jamie had been asking around for nearly two hours and so far every time he mentioned Bit people would brush him off, spit at him, tell him to go home, get very angry or all four. Jamie was thirty and had an air of confidence never seen in him before, he seemed too have lost the insecurity he had through his whole adolescence. His attitude seemed to be a cross between his old warm friendly self and his Wild Eagle alter ego's confidence and strength and he wasn't one to give up so soon even though he was going to need new boots from all the spit on his old ones.  
  
Leon was watching some weird foreign film in an old theatre. Like Bit, he was waiting for the effects of the two beers he had drank to wear off, so after finishing his second beer he thought seeing a movie was a good way to kill time. Leon, who was now thirty-four, had stayed a part of Team Flugle until Brad and Naomi married, no one asked him to leave but he decided three was a crowd in that particular team. He then rejoined the Blitz Team until it fell apart six years earlier, since Brad had left and Jamie had gone off for personal reasons he was welcomed back with open arms. He intended to restart the Blitz Team someday so he got a copy write on the name, but finding good team members had been hard work and the odds of him getting it done before he got too old were against him.  
  
Jamie ran through ally ways gasping for breath with several angry people chasing him. Jamie's questioning was getting on everyone's nerves and it was inevitable that a few people would attack him. Jamie was no longer a scrawny little kid by any stretch of the imagination but he'd never had to fight four people at once and he felt now was not a good tome to find out how well he'd do.  
  
Brad sat on a park bench finishing his beer, with no designated driver he was smart enough never to drink too much. Brad was now thirty-six though he looked much older. He was still a zoid warrior but what was wearing him down was Naomi and their two sons Jason and Robert. Ever since Brad and Naomi had started a serious relationship she had begun to nag him, nothing too bad at first it was all very reasonable, but when the twins were born the nagging became more severe and at times followed with nasty scoldings. It was all of this that made Brad be more careful about his actions; if he got a DWI he'd never here the end of it. Thinking about this he decided he had better call less he receive a tongue lashing on his return home.  
  
Jamie had been backed into a corner and was now in a fight position. He wasn't a master fighter but he was no push over he was also glad no of them were armed. Just as the four men approached.  
  
(???)"Leave him alone!" All of the guys turned around to see a man standing behind them. He was about six feet tall had brown hair that rimmed around his whole head just above his eyes which were dark green. He was wearing a white shirt and black pilots jacket with a picture of a dragon on the back and had a small six pointed black and white star that had black wings on the sides of it hanging around his neck on a dog tag chain. He had on dark blue jeans with black knee pads sewed to it and black boots.  
  
(Man with mullet) "This ain't your business punk, so stay out a' it." (???) "You were about to beat that guy up for asking questions, my conscience won't leave me alone if I don't do something." The first guy lunged at the stranger but was stopped when the guy spun around and kicked him up-side the head. Another ran at him and tried punching him but the stranger grabbed his arm and threw him over his shoulder. The stranger didn't hesitate to kick the next guy in the crotch and when the last guy ran at him he pulled out a revolver that was hidden under his jacket. (???) "Why don't you all leave before you give me another reason to kick your asses." All of the thugs got up and ran for their lives and the stranger put his gun away.  
  
(???) "You okay?" He said addressing Jamie. (Jamie) "Yah, I'm fine, thanks." (???) "No problem." (Jamie) "I'm..." (???) "I know who you are Wild Eagle." (Jamie) "You know me?" (???) "I saw you back when you were on the Blitz Team. I guess I should introduce myself, I'm John Dragoon." (Jamie) "The Dragon Rider?!" (John) "Nice to see my reputation precedes me." (Jamie) "What are you doing here?" (John) "I could ask the same of you if wasn't obvious your looking for Bit Cloud, but I wish you'd tell me why." (Jamie) "Huh? Oh yeah, well when I was eighteen I left the team to find myself. This is going to sound a little weird but I used to have a split personality, Jamie and the Wild Eagle used to be to separate people so I went to ask my dad if he knew anything about it. When I got back five years ago the Blitz team no longer existed and I heard Bit had become a criminal. I probably should've looked for the others first but what has happened to Bit has really been eating at me lately." (John) "So you figured you'd find out what happened. 'Geez this guy really didn't do any research'. Well I can tell you this much, Bit is only a criminal to the police he's probably not the Bit you remember but he's still good." (Jamie) "That's great but is that all." (John) "No, the next thing I have to tell you is give up." (Jamie) "Huh?! Wait!"  
  
John had begun walking down the street when Jamie ran up to him. (Jamie) "Everyone keeps telling me to give up, why?" (John) "You got as far as finding out that Bit hangs out in this town and more specifically that old bar that's as far as most bounty hunters get and that's all the info you'll get." (Jamie) "Why?" (John) "This place may not look it but there are a lot of families here and the fact is every one Bit attacks are criminals and shady people so he makes people here feel safer than the police do, besides most kids know about Bit's past as a warrior and look up to him as a hero. Top things off most people here know him and a lot of the guys here have owed money to some of the guys he's killed so he's a god in there eyes. So just give up before you waste more of your time." John began to walk away again but suddenly turned around. (John) "Oh and if you're going to keep going on this you'll have to be sneakier." He turned back around and walked away.  
  
Liger zero ran across the dessert as the sun was setting. The Liger's new black armor looked like a cross between the Jaeger and the Schneider.  
  
Liger's head had armor that looked like Jaeger's but black and it had two yellow blades on the sides of it's head. The armor on the top of it's head looked like Schneider except the blade at the top was yellow. Liger's main body still had the parts that were painted white, like it's head and parts of it's chest. In place of Liger's old boosters were two cylindrical turbines with a metal mesh over the opening. In between the boosters was a rectangular box with a pipe coming out the middle, it was a small sniper rifle facing backwards with the barrel going down Ligers back. Liger had a set of blades just like Schneider's mid-back only they were black with yellow blades and the blades junction with the parts that connected it to the Liger's sides had thrusters on it. The armor on the "shoulders" and back legs were like Schneider's, the armor on the front legs looked like Jaeger's armor and the armor on the back legs looked like the basic Zero armor. Liger's old shock cannon had now been replaced, the new weapon looked like the shock cannon only with one barrel and a metal coil running along one side of it. Liger's tail mounted armor now looked like the one on Schneider only smoother and it had a white stripe going down the middle. The strangest thing about this form of Liger was that as it ran along the desert it hardly made any noise except for a few faint metallic sounds and the sound of the sand being displaced; this armor was built for a balance of power and to be stealth.  
  
(Policeman) Bit Cloud freeze, you are under arrest! Liger stopped as a spot light was shone on it. Bit and Liger were surrounded by three Command Wolves, two Gordosaurs, two Heldigunners and three Terraces. (Bit) "Bastards." Liger quickly turned around and began zigzagging to avoid gun fire; Bit opened up Liger's back blades, fired up the turbines and boosters and charged at the two Heldigunners. The two frantically shot at the Liger trying to stop it before it got to them, Liger cut the two zoid's front legs and then made a diagonal cut up there mid sections slicing them in two. The Liger skidded on the sand as it stopped, using the momentum to turn around. Bit quickly put the blades away and started shooting at the Command Wolves now running towards him. The new weapon on Liger's under- side turned out to be a laser weapon that fired in energy pulses. The first Command Wolf fell as it was hit in the leg and caused the Wolf next to it to trip. The third one had it's gun blown off and as it stopped in alarm Bit shot it's mid section until it collapsed.  
  
The area they had been fighting in had several large rock formations in it, which was how the police had gotten the jump on Bit in the first place. Bit decided to use the surroundings to his advantage. Seeing the Gordosaurs under a large rock, Bit shot the top of it causing boulders to crush the two zoids. Bit decided he'd get some use out of his sniper rifle and flipped a switch causing a targeting eye piece like the one in the Panzer to come out of his seat and the rifle to lift up and turn around. Bit took aim with the site and the rifle, which turned out to be on a pivot like the gun on the Shadow Fox, locked on to one of the Terraces. Bit took each of them out with one shot. (Bit) "Humph, serves them right, Wha...!" The Liger was suddenly rocked by a large explosion that just nearly missed them. A Gojulas, which had been hiding, stood a few kilometers in front of Bit. (Bit) "Nice try, but you missed and that was the only shot you'll get!" Liger Zero charged at the Gojulas with it's claws starting to glow. (Bit) "Now Liger, Strike...Laser...Claw!" Liger lunged into it's trademark attack aiming for the neck of the Gojulas. When the pilot looked back the Liger was behind it and his zoid seemed to have sustained no damage, he quickly turned around but was stopped when the Gojulas's head fell off. (Bit) "We're getting sloppy Liger; if those assholes shot at us in stead of showing us where they were hiding we might have been in trouble."  
  
Suddenly several Terraces appeared over head. (Bit) "Shit they're persistent!" Liger turned around and started running through the rock formations with the Terraces trying to keep track of his position. Liger quickly ran behind some cliffs and the Terraces followed. (Terrace pilot) "What?! He's gone! Did anyone see where he went?" (Terrace pilot2) "Don't see em' sir." (Terrace piolt3) "Nothing here." (Terrace pilot) "Damn it! Fan out, I want him found." No sooner had the Terraces left then the Liger faze into view and let out a low growl. (Bit) "Idiots." The Liger disappeared again and, though it can hardly be seen, started running. The Liger was now capable of cloaking itself.  
  
It was almost dark as the Liger approached the ruins of a purple Whale King that was missing everything but it's head and the end of it's tail. Bit ran into the mouth and jumped out of Liger's cockpit. (Bit) "Hey Doc, I'm back!" An old man approached and it wasn't Dr. Touros. (Layon) "Bout' time you get back."  
  
S.D.: Bit's at Dr. Layon's! Dun, dun, dun, dun! Want more info on what's going on, well you'll just have to wait now won't you. Knuckles: That's all you're gonna say? S.D.: What else is there to say, the chapter's over I can't keep thinking of things to talk about, you're worse than my parents when I can't think of what to theme a birthday card after. Knuckles: Touchy today aren't we? S.D.: I'm sorry; it's been a rough week. 


	3. Allies

S.D. "Howdy everyone, Steam Detective here bringing you all your fan fic needs." Knuckles: "Get over yourself already." S.D. "Mmmm, no, anyway, once again I have changed how I start off peoples conversations back to my original style, actually I tried putting there names in bold and underlining but fan fiction doesn't seem to allow this, to be honest I wasn't to fond of my last system anyway." Knuckles: "Scuse' me, Sir Talksalot, get on with it already." S.D. "Do I need to reacquaint you with my double edge sword of might? Knuckles: "If you're a detective why don't you use a gun and don't detectives solve mysteries?" S.D. "Good idea (whips out revolver from Trigun) I think I'll start by solving how you lost your brains five minutes from now." Knuckles: "Forget I said anything." S.D. "Anyways I need to explain the character's ages a little, I've heard Bit is 16 in the series but I've also heard he's older so I settled for him being 18 when the Royal Cup ended, I made Leon two years older, Jamie two years younger and Brad four years older, and my story takes place fourteen years later, capiesh? Good."  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 3: Allies  
  
Bit stood in the hanger of the old destroyed Whale King facing Dr. Layon. Bit: "Your parts came in." Bit tossed the bundle of parts he had under his arm to Dr. Layon. Layon: "Bout' time these came in I ordered them two weeks ago." Bit: "What are they exactly?" Layon: "Just some wires and computer components to get the sensors back on-line and the heating to." Bit: "Good, I'm getting sick of freezing my ass off at night, it's almost enough to make me want to go out in Liger in the dead of night, oh yeah and speaking of Liger I got ambushed on my way back I need you to recharge Liger's energy weapons and reload the sniper rifle." Layon: "Ambushed?! Where?" Bit: "Bout' thirty-four kilometers away." Layon: "Damn it Bit I told you use the cloaking device, we can afford to recharge the Liger but we can't keep changing bases, it seriously interrupts operations, you know that!" Bit: "All right already I'll be more careful, just stop nagging me already you sound like an old geezer." Layon: "I am an old geezer! And you need to take this more seriously I don't want to blowup what's left of my Whale King to cover our tracks, thank you very much!"  
  
Dr. Layon was getting old, his hair was starting to gray a little and he was getting more wrinkles, otherwise he looked exactly the same as always, butt-ugly. Layon: "Enough of this you need to get some sleep." Bit: "(in a dull voice) Don't tell me, another mission." Layon: "Precisely, there's a weapons shipment coming in tonight and you need to destroy it, I've prepared some explosives for the sniper rifle, you only get five shots so don't miss, you leave at 4a.m." Bit: "Five shots is more than enough just make sure Liger is ready before I leave."  
  
Jamie was sitting in a trash can pushing up the lid slightly so he could see the bar across the street. He had been there for nearly three hours with equipment so he could hear the conversations of the people leaving and entering the bar. He was hoping to get a lead of some sort or see Bit himself but with the exception of some tidbits of information he hadn't gotten anything. Suddenly Jamie heard someone coming and ducted down into the trash can. A man came walking right up to the trash can lifted up the lid and dumped a bag of trash in. Jamie had forgotten it was trash night. Jamie: "Eww..."  
  
Racing through the dessert in a black Hummer John Dragoon was on his way home. He was thirty-four and he looked it. He was a very skilled warrior, all the way to Class-S, and his Dragoon Team, made up of just him and his wife, were real crowd favorites. He approached several large rock formations with odd something or others sticking out of the side. It was his home. There was a large hanger that looked like the Touros Base except it was half sunk into the ground with a large house that was backed into the cliffs on its side. John drove up to the gargantuan doors of the hanger, fiddled with a small computer on his dash board and part of the gate lifted about ten feet, plenty of room for the Hummer to drive through. After parking the car and entering the house through a door on the side of the hanger.  
  
John: "Yuna, I'm home". In the kitchen of the house, which was linked to the family room John stood in, was a woman about 5'6" with tanned skin, long emerald green hair that went to her waist and was tied into a ponytail mid-back, sapphire eyes and wearing a light blue shirt and a dark green dress. Yuna: "(she spoke with a sweet voice) Oh, you're home." She ran up and hugged John and he kissed her. Yuna: "How was your day?" John: "Interesting." Little boy: "Daddy!" John: "Hey Pete!" A small boy, about eight or nine, run up and hugged John's waist, he too had tanned skin and short emerald green hair but he had dark green eyes to go with them. John: "How's my little guy?" Pete: "I'm good!" Little girl in playpen: "Addy'!" Pete: "I think Eureka wants you to pay attention to her." John walked over to the little girl in the playpen; she had skin like John's, pink hair that was in a ponytail, and deep sapphire blue eyes. John: "How's my little girl?" John spoke as he picked her up. Yuna: "Very talkative, I can tell you that." Eureka: "Addy, addy, addy!" This scene couldn't tell anyone this but John's life had been pretty hard. He hadn't been rich exactly but he was born pretty well off however John's family had died when he was a teenager. Since then John had struggled to put his life back together and in the process went through many different jobs and places. He started off as a junk dealer, he then became a mechanic, then sort of a used zoid dealer, he actually found abandoned ones and fixed them up, a zoid warrior, a mercenary and a zoid warrior again. However now his life seemed to have hit a stride.  
  
Jamie sat in the bar sipping a beer wearing sun glasses, baseball hat, and a jacket in order to disguise himself. He sat in a booth in the corner of the bar, secretly using the equipment he used to listen and record conversations, which he had just spent an hour cleaning trash out of. Three people came and sat down in the booth next to him, they were obviously pilots. Pilot1: "Damn that Bit Cloud, every time we find him he always slips away!" Pilot2: "First he trashes every zoid we send after him, then when we send in too many for him to handle he runs and disappears!" Pilot3: "It's like he vanishes into thin air!" Pilot2: "I've heard that the Liger is equipped with a cloaking device." Pilot1: "That's ridiculous, where would he get something like that." Pilot3: "Doesn't matter if he does, I heard the Guardian Force is finally getting off it's fat ass and has set up an ambush of their own." Pilot1: "So, why should it be more successful than our attempts?" Pilot3: "Because some of the people he's been attacking have got this phony weapons shipment coming in late tonight, there gonna get the jump on him with these new zoids they've been developing." Pilot2: "I still say he's gonna get away." Jamie: 'Shit, sounds like Bit's in big trouble, wouldn't be the first time but still...'  
  
Brad got home at about 9 o'clock and was ready to go to sleep already. Naomi: "You're back, rough afternoon of drinking I see." Brad: "Ha ha, no rough day of having to floor a bunch of thugs and their friends who paid me a visit later in the day." Naomi: "Ooo, some bounty hunters after Bit again?" A loud crash was suddenly heard in the next room. Naomi: "Boys!" Twins: "He did it!" the twins spoke pointing at each other. Both of them had shaggy red hair squinty blue eyes but one had a red mark on his left cheek. Naomi: "You two are going to break everything in this house at the rate you're destroying things." Twins: "We're sorry mom, Dad!" the twins ran and hugged their dad's legs. Brad: "Hey boys, you been good while I was gone?" Twins: "Uh-huh!" Naomi: "Yeah right." Brad and Naomi had been married for twelve years at this point and up until six years ago things had been pretty peaceful, but then that peace was shattered by the dual whining and crying of two babies. Brad and Naomi were still zoid warriors only now their team was Team Hunter, and they didn't do as well as they once did do to fatigue, they were thankfully still in Class-A but making it to Class-S seemed unlikely. The odds that they would get their old stride back before the next Royal Cup was pretty unlikely and by the time the boys were old enough to be responsible their age would pose a much greater problem. Is it any wonder why Brad goes to drink with Bit and Leon so often?  
  
Jamie sat on the bed of his hotel room with two maps in front of him and a laptop next to him. Jamie picked up a red marker that was on one side of him and uncapped it. Jamie: "Hmm... Bit has been sighted in this town" Jamie circled a town on a large map "and has been seen at this bar, this junk shop, these stores, this park on occasion and this movie theatre" Jamie circled each place on a local map, put away his red marker and picked up a green one "and stated attacking people and being sited here, here, here, here, here, here and here" Jamie switched to a black marker "his attacks and sightings then shift to here, here, here, here, here and here" Jamie then switched to a blue marker "after those sightings and attacks here, here, here, here, here, here and here" Jamie picked up his red marker "and most recently here, here, here, here and here." Jamie began fiddling with his computer. Jamie: "There don't seem to be any patterns to his attacks, but his sightings on the other hand for certain periods of time are more localized into certain areas. He's probably changing hideouts, which would explain why sightings of him are only consistent in areas for a short period of time. None of his victims have anything in common except many of them seem to work for the same handful of companies. Now all I have to figure out is where the ambush is going to happen and maybe Bit can explain it to me himself. Search...weapon...shipments... timeframe...next twelve hours."  
  
Leon: "Dad, I'm back!" Leon entered the old Touros Base, it was definitely in need of repair or at least a cleaning. Dr. Touros: "*Yawn* Ah! Leon, you're back, how long has it been now?" Leon: "I only left this afternoon Dad, your memory's going." Indeed Dr. Touros's memory wasn't what it used to be and neither was he, he had a streak of gray hair around his head, he was starting to go bald, and he wasn't even a senior citizen yet. Leon: "I got you a new zoid model Dad." Leon pulled a box out of a bag he had been carrying and give it to his father. Dr. Touros: "Oh thank you Lenin, I'll go build it right now!" Dr. Touros ran down the hall giddy as a school boy. Leon: "My name is Leon! Oh I give up." The Doc's condition had been deteriorating for some time now, he now longer purchased large useless machines or components, nor did he remember to clean and fix things, hence why everything was so dilapidated and dirty, and there was only so much Leon could do by himself. Leon had feared for years telling anyone but Brad and Bit about his father's condition because they might have him taken away. The fact was Dr. Touros wasn't suffering from old age, a disease and he wasn't going insane, his spirit was broken and Leon was running out of ideas of things to help him.  
  
It was 1a.m. as Jamie flew his Raynos across the night sky. Jamie had his zoid on autopilot and was starring at his laptop in his lap. Jamie: "Now where are you going to be Bit? If he's not here then he's going to be at one of these seven." Jamie had run a wide search on shipments of anything less the information on weapons was classified. After checking the companies who were shipping out and receiving the materials Jamie had managed to narrow it down to eight. The problem was three of the times conflicted with each other and even with the Raynos flying at top speed he couldn't go to all of them, so which one was it.  
  
Bit awoke to the beeping of his alarm clock instantly, quickly turning off his alarm after two beeps almost as if he had been awake waiting for it. Bit: "Hmm... warm in here, guess ol' Doc Layon fixed the heaters." Bit got out of bed and, wearing his undershirt and boxers walked over to a small closet and opened it. Bit quickly put on his clothes and left his room. He walked into the hanger eating a box of donuts and kept looking around as if he expected to be attacked. Bit: "Ready Liger?" The Liger Zero let out a loud roar. Bit: "Good, let's rock."  
  
Liger Zero ran silently across the desert. The Liger was in stealth mode to prevent it from being seen, it's turbines were at full capacity and it's blades were down to make use of the thrusters. Unlike the night before the night sky held a crescent moon but it was partly cloudy out, which was fine with Bit, the darkness had been a lot better to him then the light.  
  
Bit arrived at the docks where the weapons were supposed to be unloaded. He positioned Liger behind some rocks and came out of stealth mode. Bit got a look at the sides of the containers in the water being delivered by boat and matched the numbers on the sides to the ones Layon had given him. Bit: "It's them alright, time to raise hell Liger." Bit activated Liger's sniper rifle took aim and fired one shot at the four containers and one at the dock, destroying them completely.  
  
Bit: "humph, that was to...Ungh, what the hell!" The Liger was suddenly rocked by explosions, Bit quickly got Liger moving and out of the line of fire. Bit: "What was that?" Several white wolves appeared from behind the rocks, these weren't Command Wolves they were a new zoid the GF had been developing, they were König Wolves. Bit: "Damn it! It was a set up!" König Wolf Pilot: "Bit Cloud! We have you surrounded, give up peacefully and we will not harm you or the Liger further!" Bit: "ON A COLD DAY IN HELL!" Liger's turbines fired up and Bit jumped over the Wolves running along the walls of rock activating Strike Laser Claw and jumping on a wolf removing it's left legs. The other Wolves flipped up the guns on their backs and started shooting at Bit. Bit managed to doge their fire, taking some damage from the explosions. Bit stopped and fired his pulse cannon at the wolves hitting three in the legs and knocking them down. The remaining six wolves managed to dodge Bit's fire as he continued to shoot. Bit: Damn these things are fast! Can't pin em' down for more than a second!" Bit gave up on shooting them opened Ligers blades and charged. Bit: "Yahhhh!" The wolves managed to jump over or evade Bit's charge and then started firing at him. Liger quickly turned around, put his blades away and flipped the three on Liger's head out. Bit: "Buster Slash!" This assault managed to take one more out.  
  
Suddenly the rock behind Bit was blown out and the Liger was thrown into the air, behind the rocks were five ankylosaurus zoids with backs that were covered in guns. König Wolf Pilot: "Gun Blasters, wipe him out!" Bit: "Gun Blasters? What the hell?!" The Gun Blasters began shooting at Bit with all eighteen of the guns on their backs intent on destroying the Liger. The Liger took a nasty pounding from this, though it seemed Liger's new armor was stronger than most of it's old ones there was only so much it could take. Bit immediately activated the turbines and ran out of there fire then quickly activating his sniper rifle began shooting at them Bit: "Damn that armor's thick! We'll have ta' change to close range combat!" Once again the Liger's blades opened and it charged at the Gun Blasters cutting the tops off two of them. Suddenly the Liger was hit by the remaining König Wolves and was knocked down. Liger's computer read Command System Freeze. Bit: No! Not now Liger! Damn it!" Bit slammed his fist on Liger's computer.  
  
König Wolf Pilot: "We've got him men! Move in carefully don't give him the chance to get away! Let's be careful about, WHA!!" The Wolves neck was suddenly pierced by gun fire and at the same time so were two others, quickly all of the zoids were shot through the neck disabling them. A message started to flash on Liger's screen. Bit: "What the hell? Hold...your...breath, what... Oh Shit!" Bit quickly took a deep breath as missiles hit the ground and released a white gas everywhere. Every pilot but Bit could be heard coughing and then each passed out. A Loud deafening screech echoed across the desert as a large metallic blue dragon slowly descended down to the ground. It's body was the size of Liger's, it had a segmented neck with a sort of mask covering it's head that covered each side of it's head like flaps and head a large ramming horn pointing out over it's fore head. It had a fish like orange tail and wings like a Storm Sworder only orange and lager, it only had on giant leg that hung out from the bottom of it's body that was three large black balls connected to each other with a plate of blue armor on the front of each with a large claw at the bottom with three small claws with two facing back and one forward.  
  
The creature hovered in front of Liger Zero, it's eyes glowing red in the darkness. Bit: "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what the hell are you doing all the way out here John?" John sat in the zoids cockpit wearing a dark green pilot jump suit and aviator glasses, he looked at Bit and smiled.  
  
S.D. "What's this, it can't be, but it is, seems John knows more about Bit than he let on. Oh you all must hate me for leaving you at a big cliff hanger every time I end a chapter." Knuckles: "Apparently not enough to stop readying this story." S.D. "Well obviously, anyway I'll try to update as soon as soon as I can, bye for now." Knuckles: "See ya when I see ya." 


	4. Discover

S.D. Greetings everyone! Knuckles: Yo. S.D. Before we get rolling I'd like to take this time to acknowledge those who have taken the time to review this story and in turn acknowledge my work. *Ahem* I would like to thank Zapper Zaku, Wiggle Lizard, Alyssa, and Broli the Destroyah for reviewing and most of all I would like to thank AMC 08 for reviewing every chapter so far even though I'm only to the fourth one, don't worry I'll do this again at the end of the story. Knuckles, catch. (Throws clip board with names on them to Knuckles). Knuckles: Ahhhh! My eye, you hit me in my eye! S.D. Whoops, sorry. Come on though it can't hurt that badly. Knuckles: Well it does! I have big eyes you know! S.D. Oh yeah, well anyway the next thing I have to say concerns Lenna, look there's a good reason why she hasn't shown up yet and she's going to have a big part in the story so I'm not going to reveal it yet. If I'm asked anything else that concerns the plot I'll talk about it only if it's something you didn't understand or that I forgot to cover. Enjoy the story! (Throws note with speech on it away) Knuckles: Ahhhh! My other eye!  
  
Losing the Soul Chapter 4: Discover  
  
Liger lay on the ground, defeated, looking up at it's savior. The dragon just hovered there with it's wing pointed up, the reason for this is it had engines in the ends of it's wings which was what was allowing it to hover, staring at the Liger. John: "The reason I'm here, Bit, is to save your behind." Bit: "Then you knew this was a setup?! John: "Since thirty minutes ago, yes, that's about when the N.U.C.L.S.S. system woke me and Yuna up warning me that this was a setup by the GF." Bit: "Bet Yuna wasn't too happy about that, hey wait! You're saying the GF's after me now?" John: "First of all Yuna was very grouchy about it, and second what do you expect, you're becoming a real popular guy." Bit: "Well that's just great, think you can give me a lift back?" John: "I could, but my place is closer, I'll fix the Liger there, less likely we'll be seen." The dragon positioned itself over Liger and the large claw at the end of it's single leg began to lightly glow, Liger was immeadiately lifted off the ground. The claw was magnetic. Bit: "One more question." John: "What is it?" Bit: "Why didn't you use Light Wing's lasers instead of the gattling guns?" John: "Because, Bit, the Light Wing Dragon's homing lasers leave very distinct damage, I couldn't leave any evidence that I was here."  
  
As Light Wing lifted off the ground with Liger hanging from the single large leg a third, more powerful engine, in it's tail fired up and it's wings slowly went back into their forward position, taking off at an incredible speed for such a large zoid. Little did either Bit or John know they were being watched. Jamie: "Seems John knows more about Bit than he told me, but I can't figure out where Bit got that new armor from. Maybe I should go see Doc in the morning." Jamie turned around and got back into his Raynos, which he had hidden in a small shallow canyon. Jamie: "I'll get to the bottom of this if it kills me."  
  
In a dark room at an unknown location eight people sat in a circle around a light shown on the floor, all of their faces were obscured by the darkness and no one could be clearly seen. Voice1: (altered by some sort of computer to sound like two computerized voices) "Ladies and Gentleman we have a problem. An hour ago one of our companies reported that their ambush had failed, Bit Cloud is still at large and remains a threat." Voice2: "So the Guardian Force's new König Wolves and Gun Blasters did nothing?" Voice1: "Quiet the contrary, they had him pined for a moment but it would seem he had help, according to the story of the pilots as they were closing in on him something shot their zoids through the necks and then fired some sort of sleeping gas." Voice3: "So they only need to try again and have more zoids on the lookout for Cloud's partner." Voice4: "It's not that simple you fool! Need I remind you Bit Cloud is no ordinary pilot, nor is the Liger Zero an ordinary zoid? If the Guardian Force tries again he will not fall for the same tactics, and if he does the only advantage they had was the zoids they used were new, now that he has seen them and has an idea of what they can do it is unlikely they can pull off the same results." Voice5: "That would be true but, the Liger's Orginoid System memorizes individual styles, if they use different pilots they could stop him." Voice1: "No she's right, as much as it pains me to say, Bit Cloud is a superb pilot, no one in the Guardian Force can stop him by themselves and the numbers it would take to defeat him again would be too much to hide." Voice6: "Then perhaps we need only a few pilots." Voice7: "Are you mad?! We can't send one of our pilots to face him! It could give us away, we've worked to hard to keep our existence a secret we can't risk blowing our cover now! Voice8: "But if we don't stop him it could bring attention to the companies under our control and reveal us anyway! Voice6: "Calm down, those are both good arguments but I had a different idea. Cloud has fought in many battles since going under ground correct? Well if I'm not mistaking he has only killed those who work for us, every police unit that fights him only loses their zoids not their pilots, a few of them must have gained some knowledge of fighting him. Voice3: "Yes of course, we find some pilots in the police who are seasoned enough and have faced Bit Cloud several times and then have one of our companies "generously" offer them a new, more powerful zoid." Voice1: "I like it, all those in favor." Voices 2,3,5,6,8: "I!" Voice1: "Then it's decided. We'll let our good friends in the police force deal with Bit Cloud for us.  
  
In a subterranean chamber underneath John's hanger Bit and John were kneeling on the top of Liger, who's armor had been removed, with welding torches and welders masks, both were still in there battle gear, and John's, which could be seen better now, had the same black and white star, that usually hung around his neck, on the right arm of his flight suit, the words "Team Dragoon" on the left and the dragon from his jacket on the back. Bit: "Hey John, mind if I ask you a tired question?" John: "If you must." Bit: "Why don't we do things together as friends anyway?" John: "You know the answer to that. I would come under suspicion if anyone knew that we were friends or even know each other. It's not that I don't have the guts to help you out in the open, but I've got my family to worry about, I can't risk getting arrested." Bit: "Yeah I know, just wanted to see if you were serious or changed your mind, speaking of your family, how they doing?" John: "Pretty good, Peter's just as curious about zoids as ever, asking what's this for what does this do, can I help, it's cute but annoying. Eureka is learning more words every day and Yuna's as good as ever." Bit: "End of the zoid season not hurting ya'. John: "Nah never does, our savings are pretty deep good thing to considering how much we spend during this time of the year." Bit: "Pardon me if I'm wrong but don't most warriors spend less this time of the year?" John: "Most warriors don't have four birthdays, including their own, in the summer and have an entire collection of zoids they don't use to polish, fix, take out, and tune up." Bit: "Right, I forgot. Oh yeah, ol' Doc Layon said he'll have the Whale King flying soon as long as no one notices the damage on it is being holographically projected. I still say as bad idea." John: "Don't worry, the ZBC and GF aren't anything to worry about as long as you stay over international waters, and until we expose them, Fire Wind won't pose a problem yet. Now please keep working, I'd like to get some sleep before the kids wake up."  
  
10 in the morning Ted Hawkings sat on his couch in his city view apartment. He was thirty-three had buzzed red hair steel gray squinted eyes and worked for the local police force. He lived in his apartment with his girlfriend Lara Fielding, who had short black hair, brown eyes and was also thirty-three and worked for the police. Along with their partner Lance Riays, who was thirty, who had slick brown hair was 5'3 in other words short and had light blue eyes, they were the best their police force had to offer as pilots. All of them had faced Bit Cloud in battle many times over and lost. The phone began to ring on the wall. Ted: "Lara, could you get that?" Lara: "Don't you have ears you lazy bum!? I'm in the shower!" Ted: (to himself) "Oh right." Ted lazily got up and walked over to the wall phone and picked it up. Ted: "Hello. Oh hey Lance, wus' up. Uh-huh, you don't say, really, you're kidding, no, hold on let me right this down, hold on I'm writtin' as fast as I can, okay got it, see ya there." Ted hung the phone up and Lara walked into the room wearing a towel. Lara: "Who was it?" Ted: "It was Lance, said one of the companies that damn Bit Cloud's been attacking has been looking through police records and chosen some of the pilots who have fought that bastard to give some better zoids to ta see if they can beat im', and guess who's on the top of their list."  
  
Jamie lay face down on the bed in his hotel room sleeping soundly as the clock next to him changed to read 12:46 p.m. Jamie began to stir, he slowly turned his head then slightly opened his eyes and turned his head back. He then immediately pushed himself off of his bed grabbed the clock and starred at it. Jamie: "Shit! I overslept! Ungh... that's what I get for chasing Bit all night long." Jamie rolled out of bed and quickly went to put his vest and shoes back on. Jamie: "I'd better get over to the old base and then maybe I can try to find Brad and..." Jamie was interrupted by his stomach which suddenly growled violently. Jamie: "Uh... maybe I should grab lunch first, it's not like they're all going somewhere."  
  
Bit, not unlike Jamie, lay sleeping in his bed as the clock ticked past 1 in the afternoon. Dr. Layon was in the hanger fixing Liger Zero's armor. Layon: (mumbling) "Damn it, I still can't believe we were set up like that, and we walked right into it to boot. A good thing that John helps us or don't know where we'd be sometimes." John and Bit had fixed Liger's main body and had fixed the major damage in the armor so things like the stealth shield still worked. Bit had gotten in at 6:30 briefly explained why he was late. Went to his room and fell right on his bed and drifted into a state of sleep he hadn't been in for years. Dr. Layon on the other hand was forced to finish fixing Liger. Layon: "Damn it, I know it was more of my fault that this happened but he could of stayed up long enough to help me, that guy can be such an immature brat for someone of his age and experience."  
  
Jamie approached the old base in his Raynos and was saddened when he saw the condition of the base. Jamie: "Man, they've really let the base go, doesn't anyone clean it anymore, I just hope they don't expect me to continue where I left off and start by cleaning the place up." Jamie landed the Raynos in the old base and quickly jumped out of the cockpit and was a little disturbed when a cloud of dust stirred up when he landed. He had checked before coming that the Tauroses still lived there but everything looked so dirty and desolate. He walked around the hanger a bit to see if he could find everything, he was greatly disturbed at what he saw, large parts of the walls caved in some of the cat walks had fallen down, there was dust everywhere, but what disturbed him the most were the hunks of scrape that resembled parts of the Hover Cargo. He suddenly stopped. Jamie: "Leon's Blade Liger?!" Jamie starred at the majestic red lion for a second, noticing that it was still in good condition which meant someone was taking care of it.  
  
Jamie entered the residential section of the base, which was more depressing still, the walls had cracks, many of the lights needed fixing, he began calling out. Jamie: "Hello! Is anyone here?!" Jamie continued walking until he thought he heard a noise coming from Dr. Tauros's room. Jamie carefully approached the room opened the door and ... Dr. Tauros: "Halt! Who goes there?!" Jamie suddenly found himself starring down the barrel of an old rifle that he hoped wasn't loaded. Dr. Tauros was the one holding it, along with wearing an old round army helmet and camo jacket over his normal coat. Jamie: "D...da... Doc, it's me, Jamie!" Dr. Tauros: "Jamie? Jamie!" Dr. Tauros dropped his rifle, the and of which fell on Jamie's foot, and gave Jamie a big, way too tight, hug. Dr. Tauros: "Bout' time you got back from your vacation the mess around here is huge. I keep catching Leon trying to clean it up and having to stop him and remind him that it's your job, I've even had to question him, what are you trying to do steal his position, don't worry through I'd never let him do that! Jamie: 'He'd better be kidding'. "Uh Doc... you feeling okay? Dr. Tauros: "Never better, why da' ya' ask?!" Leon: "Dad put him down he's turning blue!" Dr. Tauros released Jamie and he took several long gasps. Leon: "Who are you and what are you doing here?!" Jamie: *cough*, *cough* "What? Have I changed that much?" Leon: "Jamie?"  
  
Leon and Jamie sat in the old briefing room drinking coffee. Leon: "You'll have to excuse dad, he's been like this for awhile, some days are worse than others. You just happen to catch him on a bad day, don't worry that gun wasn't loaded." Jamie: "I guess it doesn't surprise me, Doc never really was all there to begin with." Jamie took a sip of his coffee. Leon: "He's not insane Jamie, though I know he may look it. He's just spiritually broken, I think the team being split up was a big factor of it. You need to really consider what's happened to understand how but just think, Brad left, then you, I came back but I didn't really help, I'm sure you've seen what's happened to Bit, and Leena, well she's gone too. I guess it was too much for dad to take in all at once."  
  
Jamie: "Wow, I'm a little sorry I left now." Leon: "Only a little?" Jamie: "Don't get me wrong if I had known this would happen and me staying would have made a big difference I wouldn't have left. But I think you don't understand how important the time I spent away was." Leon: "Right, your journey to find yourself, how'd that go?" Jamie: "Very well, I'm glad to say." Leon: "Well as you can see this place is falling apart, I try to keep it running but doing it by myself isn't easy, good thing dad's mental state doesn't seem to allow him to buy useless junk anymore. Hey, I hate to ask but if you're staying would you consider joining up with us again, I know it seems unusual but I really need help. Ever since the team broke up I've been trying to put together a new one, but finding the right people has been difficult and..." Jamie: "Say no more, I'd be happy to, just as long as I don't need to clean this mess by myself, and one more thing." Leon: "What's that?" Jamie: "I'm looking for Bit, I need to finish that first, I don't suppose you have any info." Leon: "Well, all I can tell you is that trying to talk Bit out of this is like talking to a brick wall, I know he's doing this for a reason but he won't tell me, he doesn't want anyone else involved."  
  
Ted, Lara, and Lance were led down a clean looking hallway ban a man in a suit each of them still in their police uniforms. Man in Suit: "Please follow me your new zoids are down this hall." Lance: "If you don't mind me askin' why would anyone just donate us zoids?" Man in Suit: "Well it's quite simple really, me employer's business has suffered greatly because of that bandit. Besides although they man not seem it the people who run this company are very compassionate and feel he is a hazard to public safety."  
  
They entered a large white clean room with three zoids lined up. Ted: "Whoa!" Lara: "Oh my God." Lance: "Awesome." Man in Suit: "The Brown König Wolf with the extra guns on it's back and missile pods on the sides is yours Mr. Hawkings, I should start by warning you that through reverse engineering we have given this zoid a copy of the Strike Laser Claw. Ted: "Strike Laser claw?! You're kidding!" Man in Suit: "I'm most certainly not. Ms. Fielding the red Gun Blaster is yours, I should warn you as well we've made the armor stronger, given it explosive ammunition and an energy shield." Lara: "Really, that's amazing!" Man in Suit: "Which of course means the Pteramander is yours Mr. Riays, some also call it the Salamander but it seems pointless, I'm afraid everything on it is standard issue, but Mr. Cloud has never, to our knowledge, seen one so you will have the element of surprise." Lance: "That's fine with me." Ted: "Guys I think we might actually beat that son of a bitch now."  
  
S.D. Oh ho, looks like Bit's in trouble, yet again. Knuckles: Are you trying to suck the drama out of this? S.D. Shut up, anyway I once again tried to change how I start my sentences by adding a few spaces in front of their names, but once again FanFic.net wouldn't let me. By the way for any of you who are wondering, yes, I do know I spelled losing wrong in the title and I can't fix it. And I apologize if the paragraphs are too long, don't blame me blame my school, you should see how long the paragraphs are, it's enough to make you...*sniff* Whaaahaha! Knuckles: There, there, it's okay. (Pats S.D. on back) S.D. *sniff* thanks, is it any wonder why I keep this guy around? Anyway time for my closing statement, Knuckles the lights. Knuckles: Got it! (Turns on spot lights) Ah! My eyes I'm blinded, it burns! S.D. Whoa, maybe you should put on your sun glasses. Knuckles: Good idea. What's that sound? (Boulder falls on Knuckles) Ah there is broken glass in my eyes! S.D. Dang this just ain't your day buddy, next time we do our show away from the cliffs, see ya next time. Knuckles: MY EYES!!!! 


	5. Confront

S.D. Gr-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-reetings everbody! Steam Detective here! Knuckles: "And Knuckles over here, uh, I think. S.D. You'll have to excuse Knuckles for the moment, he just got back from eye surgery and can't quite see yet. Uh Knuckles, you may not want to step there. Knuckles: Why? Oof, ow, youch, ah, eeeh, argh, ow, AHHHH! S.D. Because those are the stairs. Knuckles: (Face down on the ground) Thanks for the advanced warning. S.D. Yeah. I'd like to start off by talking about some of the reviews I received. *Ahem* First to Blades of Death, I apologize but I don't seem to have every received a review from you before the last chapter. Second to Zapper Zaku, the Guardian force was a military organization between the Empire and the Republic in order to maintain peace between the two nations so it seems logical that it would not just disband after the destruction of the Death Saurer, and as for the ZBC their job pertains only to things in the realm of Zoid Battles so they don't do the same job. Third is to AMC 08, try to contain yourself I'm getting there. And finally to Blades of Death again but also to everyone, please keep your guesses about my story to yourself, first of all I can't tell you if you're right, second of all if you do get it right it could ruin the story, so please keep your predictions to yourselves whenever possible. Thank you. On with the story! Knuckles: Little help here. S.D. Huh? Oh, sorry.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 5: Confront  
  
Bit walked into the old Control room of the Whale King to find Dr. Layon sitting at a collapsible table eating noodles. Layon: "Bout' time you woke up. It's already dinner time, grab a chair n' some noodles, they're still hot so be careful." Layon went back to slurping his instant noodles while Bit used his right arm to pull back a chair and grab a cup of noodles, while his left hand was grasping his right shoulder. Layon: "Little cold to not be wearing a shirt isn't it?" Indeed Bit wasn't wearing his shirt at the moment, his torso had several cuts and scrapes on it from many old battles. Bit: "The phantom pain is back." Dr. Layon nearly shot his noodles out of his nose at this. Layon: "*cough* What?!" Bit removed his left hand from his shoulder revealing two large scars on and next to his right shoulder that looked as if they were caused by skin being ripped or they had been bullet wounds. Bit: "You know whenever it starts to hurt it means something bad's about to happen." Layon: "I've told you before that's nonsense, nothing but coincidence!" Bit: "Was it coincidence when they nearly found our last base before we could get out?" Layon: "Never mind, just eat your noodles."  
  
Leon: "Going somewhere Jamie?" Jamie had spent the night at the old base and was climbing into his Raynos. Jamie: "I'm heading over to Brad and Naomi's to see if I can find anything else." Leon: "Alright, but I already told you Brad probably won't know anything about him I didn't already tell you, plus that place is a bigger mess than the base with the twins running around." Jamie: "You told me already, trust me I can handle myself."  
  
Officers Hawkings, Fielding and Raiys sat in a briefing room at the police headquarters staring at a holo-projector table that was displaying a large map. Ted: "All right guys, here's the plan. All of the different companies and organizations Cloud has been hitting have agreed to work together. They'll all have several shipments of parts and goods coming in on the same night with the delivery paths in all different areas. Now, the idea is to force Cloud to have to try to attack all of them, some of the shipments and employees will be lost but after he has hit two or three it will be obvious where he's headed next. Now the police from several towns and cities are hiding zoids in a huge circle around all of the routes ready to attack Cloud and keep him busy while we get to the scene. In the meantime we'll be in a Whale King that has been provided for us in the center of the enclosement allowing us to head Cloud off at the pass so-to- speak, we'll also have more men for back-up on board. We've got one shot at this guys, let's not blow it."  
  
Officer Ted Hawkings was a man who truly believed in justice in spite of the fact he had been a criminal before joining the police force. After serving his time he had taken a good long look at his life and decided to put his best foot forward to reform himself, to become a productive citizen and, in his eyes, a worthwhile human being again. Because the fact the people worshiped Bit Cloud, because the people he attacked and killed were mostly shady people, he hated Bit Cloud, he felt as if he was denying those people the right to reform, the right to try again. He vowed to stop people like Bit Cloud no matter what anyone said about him.  
  
*Crash* Naomi: "Damn it, Jason, not the book case! Brad do something!" The twins had gotten into the caffeine and sugar again and were wrecking the small base. Brad and Naomi had purchased the place shortly after their marriage. It was a small place with a reasonably-sized apartment in the back of it, the base had enough room for two medium-sized zoids, tools, equipment and enough room to walk around them. Brad: "My hands are full at the moment!" Brad was holding a struggling Robert in his arms, doing his best to restrain him but the little six year-old was difficult to hold on to. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, there was a back door to the apartment that was used more like a front door. Naomi: "Damn it! Who could that be?" Brad: "I don't know, let's just pretend we're not home." Jamie: "You might as well open the door I can hear you from out here!" Brad: "Wha? That sounds kinda like..." Brad ran to the door dropping Robert on the couch. "Jamie?!" Jamie: "Long time no see, huh Brad. Man the look on your face is even more priceless than Leon's was."  
  
Bit was sweating like crazy as he was doing sit-ups in the Whale King's weight room. When Liger didn't need fixing or modification working out was the only thing to do for Bit. Dr. Layon's computers were what monitored deliveries and shipments of their unseen enemy and unless Dr. Layon requested his help, he always preferred to work alone. Layon: "Hey Bit!" Dr. Layon entered the weight room. "You might want to stop and rest up for tonight." Bit: "What, another mission?" Dr. Layon: "A big one I'm afraid, and I mean huge!"  
  
Bit: "All those!!" Bit stared at the computer screen, which was covered with dots that represented places to attack. Layon: "It would seem they're working on another trap, they've set all this stuff up to force you to attack them while they're loading up on supplies and the police are preparing to attack you." Bit: "Think you're right, there's no way in hell they'd be allowed to make this many deliveries all at once without the police pardoning it. It's gonna be impossible for anyone else to do any business that's off-line." Layon: "There's no way you could possibly get all of them in one night, so I'm sorting through the dileveries to see which ones have to be destroyed and which ones you should skip, thankfully I'm almost done with the new power cells for the Liger so you should be able to stay out a lot longer than usual." Bit: "What was that you were saying yesterday about my scar getting phantom pains again not meaning anything?"  
  
Jamie: "So that's it?" Jamie sat on an arm chair across from Brad and Naomi who were on the couch. Brad: "Fraid' so." Naomi: "You'd think he'd now more considering they go drinking almost every other day." Jamie: "Looks like Leon was right, that wasn't much more than what he told me." Brad: "Sorry." Jamie: "it's all right Brad, I wasn't expecting you to hand me a map to where Bit's hiding along with a short biography of his life since I left." Jason: "Cool look at the guns on this thing." Robert: "How fast do you think this booster makes it go?" Naomi: "Looks like the boys are really into your zoid." Brad: "After seeing what they've done to this place I'm amazed that you would let them near it." Jamie: "Don't worry the Raynos is built solidly, besides the gun barrels are to small for them to fit in and the engines aren't dangerous when they're not on." *Crack* Jamie: (Worried voice) "But them getting into the cockpit I'm not so sure about, will you guys excuse me?!" Jamie quickly got up and ran to the door. Brad: "I think I'll go with you!"  
  
Darkness had descended upon the old wrecked Whale King hours before. Bit hopped into the Liger Zero's cockpit strapped himself in and stuck a needle into his neck. The needle, which was attached to a tube, was connected to a few tanks of mixed nutrients, made to be delivered directly to the blood stream. The Liger's cockpit closed and Liger ran out of the Whale King's mouth and then activated it's turbines and thrusters and took off at top speed. Dr. Layon watched him with a stern serious look on his face. Layon: "Good luck and God's speed Bit Cloud."  
  
Jamie: "I should've gotten back hours ago, hope Leon's not mad about it." After prying the twins off of the Raynos and fixing the minor cracks they had managed to inflict on the canopy through some means or another, Jamie had left and was heading back to the Tauros Base. Jamie was getting tired and yawned a few times, his exhaustion was mostly do to boredom more than anything and he slowly turned his head to his laptop he had put to the side of him, his jaw dropped. Jamie: "What the hell?!?!" The computer showed several shipments of various things all being delivered that very night. Jamie: "Another attempt to capture Bit? Like it could be anything else." Jamie punched some keys in on the Raynos's computer. Jamie: "Hey Leon?" Leon: "Jamie there you are, what the hell have you been doing?" Jamie: "I got held up at Brad's place, you were right about his kids. Look I'm not going to be in tonight, don't worry I'll be back, I'll explain later." Jamie turned off the com-link and changed his direction.  
  
Liger ran across the desert with several large explosions going on behind it. It was 3 a.m. and at this point the Liger and Bit had taken out about two dozen transport convoys of Gustavs surrounded by Command Wolves, Saber Tigers, Shield Ligers, Gordosaurs, and several other kinds of zoids. The military and police assistance had done almost nothing against them and many of them having König Wolves and Gun Blasters had only served to help Bit become more familiar with their capabilities. Bit was getting tired but he wouldn't stop no matter what, well maybe for a friend. Bit stopped as the Light Wing Dragon rose from it's hiding place. Bit: "John? What are you doing here?" John: "Like I wouldn't know what was happening Bit. How are you doing so far?" Bit: "Exhausted." John: "Yeah, I figured, well let me ask you, how helpful has that sniper rifle been on this mission?" Bit: "Not very." John: "Glad to hear it." Bit: "Huh?" John: "I've got something for you, raise the sniper rifle and release it." Bit did as he was asked. Light Wing rose into the air with a familiar looking gun hanging from it's magnetic claw. Bit: "Is that what I think it is?!" John: "If you think it's a replica of one of the Zero Panzer's hybrid cannons, then yes." Light Wing lowered the gun into position and Bit lowered the pivot it now rested on letting the gun swing around into stand-by position. Bit: "Thanks John." John: "No problem, just don't die or get captured, oh and try not to miss too much, I did improve its energy usage but it's gonna suck up power a bit. I'll take the sniper rifle back for you." Light Wing then picked up the discarded weapon and flew away.  
  
The Raynos flew over the Destroyed convoys and Jamie couldn't help but stare. Jamie: "Damn, Bit did a number on these guys, that makes twenty- seven destroyed convoys and I lost count of the protection groups." Jamie decided he'd better hurry up, he's receiver hadn't picked up any transitions about Bit being captured or killed yet, but he didn't want to risk it.  
  
Lara: "Shit! So much for catching him after he destroyed two or three convoys." Ted: "God Damn it! He's moving faster than we thought he would." Lance: "You can say that again. At this rate he'll destroy them all before we can catch up with him." Lara: "Guess he really does have cloaking shields, that's the only why we coulda' missed em'." Ted: "If that's how he wants to play like that then that's just fine. Tell the pilot to have every last type of scan this thing can do to be sweeping the desert, I want to know where every grain of sand is down there, there's been too much has been sacrificed for this, that bastard is making a joke outta us!"  
  
4:17, Bit was really getting tired, he had been up all night destroying transporters and defenders. Liger would have run out of power if Dr. Layon hadn't installed those new power cells or had John drop a "battery" for Liger to use a mile back. Bit knew full well going into this it would take all night. He had even given himself tranquilizer to get as much rest before his mission. Bit was just about to fall asleep when an explosion knocked Liger off his feet. Bit: "What the fuck!" Liger got up to face a brown König Wolf with extra weapons, a red Gun Blaster, and a blue flying zoid he'd never seen before. Ted: "Finally caught you, you son of a bitch!" Lara: "Mr. Cloud you are under arrest, come quietly." Lance: "This time you won't get away from us!" Bit: "You're not the first to say that and trust me, you won't be the last, and what do you mean again?" Ted: "You may not remember us but we remember you, you piece of crap!" Bit: (sarcastic voice) "Humph, ouch you'd better stop insulting me your hurting my feelings." Ted: Grrr shut up you ass hole, you're going down!"  
  
The König Wolf started firing with the extra guns on it's back and flipped up the ones on it's lower back, the Gun Blaster concentrated all fire power on the Liger and so did the Pteramander. Liger quickly ran out of the way and went into stealth mode. Ted: "Oh no you don't!" The Wolf's ears flipped up to clear the path for the visor to come down over the Wolf's eyes. Ted: "Found ya!" Ted began firing directly where the Liger was standing Bit: "Damn it! It's got a scanner!" Liger came out of stealth mode and jumped out of the way. Liger ran at the Wolf. Bit: "Strike...Laser...Claw!" The Wolf jumped out of Liger's path. Ted: "Say that was neat, mind if I try?!" The König wolf jumped at Liger with it's claws glowing. Bit: "What the fuck?!" Bit managed to jump out of the way. He then fired the pulse laser at the Pteramander and then the Gun Blaster. It hardly did anything against the Pteramander and the Gun Blaster blocked with it's shield. Bit: "Damn it. I should have known they'd of modified these things, I'd better not underestimate them, I've been doing way too much of that."  
  
As Liger's attackers continued to bombard him Bit ran further away from them. The König Wolf began using it's missile pods on it's shoulders and the Pteramander used the missile launcher on it's back. Suddenly Bit stopped and faced them. Ted: "Surrendering are we?" Bit: "You guys sure are full of yourselves. You think just because you get some fancy zoids and new equipment you can suddenly beat me. Well guess what, a zoid's only as good as it's pilot and you three aren't bad but you're nowhere near my level. I've got places to go and I've got to finish you off quickly so consider me finding you good enough to use more skill than usual an honor." Liger's five blades suddenly flipped out glowed purple and then flipped back. Liger went into a charge, all of it's blades began to glow and flip out again and the back blades pointed forward. Bit: "Get ready. FIVE BLADE ATTACK!!!" Liger charged at the König Wolf, jumped up and came down on it's back completely destroying it's mid-section. Liger quickly put it's blades away, turned around and brought out the single hybrid cannon. Bit: "Eat this!" Bit shot at the Gun Blaster which put up it's shield but to no avail as the shots pierced the shield and destroyed it. Lara: "Nooooo!" Bit quickly turned his attention to the Pteramander and shot off it's wing. Lance: "Damn it!!!"  
  
Liger ran away getting back on course. Ted: "DAMN HIM!!!" Ted punched out his computer screen which left cuts on his hand. Ted: (to himself) "He beat us again, with all this stuff, that smug little ass still beat us." Ted grabbed his radio. Ted: "Come in Whale King! He got away, send in the back up now!"  
  
Bit was running as fast as Liger would go, he was behind schedule and he needed to hurry. Bit: "What the hell?!" 1 mile ahead of him was an entire fleet of Pterases and Command Wolves. He looked around and saw the same thing from every direction. Bit: "No, I'm surrounded. It can't end like this!!" Almost as if answering his desperate cry a green blur sped past the small army around him, knocking all of them to the ground with a mighty sonic boom. All of the zoids crashed into each other, all of them had been destroyed. Bit: "What...just happened?" Bit heard a loud screech, but it didn't belong to Light Wing, Bit looked up and saw a familiar green zoid descending to land in front of him. The canopy opened and Bit's jaw dropped he could hardly believe it. Liger's cockpit swung open Bit quickly stood up. Bit: "Jamie!!!!" Jamie: "Hi Bit!"  
  
Bit and Jamie sat in a gap between their zoids talking to each other. Bit: "I can't believe you're here, I could kiss you man!" Jamie: "Glad as I am to have finally found you Bit, I'd rather you didn't." Bit: "Why are you here anyway?" Jamie: "Hard headed as always huh, Bit? Obviously I'm looking for you." Bit: "I figured that but why?" Jamie: "I had questions about your current choice of life style." Bit: "I should have known." Jamie: "Why you are attacking companies and organizations is what I really what I want to know." Bit: "I figured. Look it's complicated. The companies are all under the control of this one organization, I'm trying to unmask them and in the mean time disrupt their supplies and information. Jamie: "Gee that's more than Leon or Brad told me." Bit: "Leon and Brad don't know, I'm wondering why I just told you, look I can't tell you anymore than that, I don't want anyone else to get hur... uh involved." Jamie: "C'mon Bit you can't do this alone." Bit: "You're right, I can't." Bit stepped up to Jamie puts his hand on his shoulder and after a few seconds punches him in the gut. Jamie fell to the ground grabbing his stomach. Bit: "But I'm not alone and I can't risk you getting involved, sorry Jamie, I am happy to see you but I've got to go the sun's comin' up." Bit Walked over to Liger and turned on his intercom. Jamie was almost unconscious when he heard Bit speak. Bit: "Hey Layon, I got held up back here, better tell me where I need to go next." Jamie: 'Dr. Layon?'  
  
A large red Whale King Flew over the desert holding some unusual people on board. A robot with no legs, obscured by darkness approached one of the side windows. A well dressed man stood staring out the window. Robot: "Excuse me, but I just wanted to inform you that we'll be arriving at the Tauros Base in two hours." Well Dressed Man: "Excellent, tell Benjamin to make sure everything is in order, would you Sebastian? Sebastian: "Of course Harry." Harry: (to himself) "It won't be long now my love."  
  
S.D. (worried voice) Oh boy, Harry's back. Knuckles: What where, I'll clobber that idiot! S.D. In the story you blind moron. Anyways I hope you liked this chapter, I poured my soul into writing this one so please like it. Knuckles: You're such a drama queen. (S.D. hits Knuckles with the broad side of his double-edge sword). Owww!!!" S.D. First of all watch your mouth, second of all drama queen refers to girls. Knuckles: That's what I'm saying. (Knuckles gets hit again) Knuckles: Owww!!!!!!" S.D. Next time it won't be the broad side of my sword. Knuckles: Alright, I'm sorry I insulted you, sheesh. S.D. Oh, did I ever mention we're broadcasting from Angel Island, the island that floats in the sky because of the power of the Master Emerald that Knuckles guards. Knuckles: So why are you here? S.D. Because I can be, anyway I may not be able to update as fast as I have for the first few chapters so be patient. By everybody. Knuckles: Ya'll come back now, ya hear? 


	6. Of Lust and Love

S.D. Hello, hello, hello, Steam Detective here. Knuckles: Which would make me Knuckles. Hey, do you have to say something different every time you start a new chapter? S.D. No, but I'm going to anyway. Sorry for taking so long to update but last week I was very busy. Knuckles: What about before last week? You updated in the last few days of Spring Break. S.D. I was enjoying my time off, thank you very much. Anyway thanks for reviewing everyone I'll try to update sooner, and for all of you who have been reading my commentary here at the beginnings and endings of the chapters would know that I have tried several times to make my story more readable: putting names in "( )", that didn't look to good, I've tried putting them in bold, underlining the names and putting three spaces in before they start talking, but each and every time I tried something new when I uploaded it to Fan Fiction.net it all disappeared, except for my first change but, like I said didn't like it but... Knuckles: 'Scuse me, Detective, while we're young. S.D. Huh? Oh yeah, enjoy the chapter.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 6: Of Lust and Love  
  
Jamie pushed himself up from the sand and got to his feet. He looked around and it was dark again. Jamie: (To himself) "Must've been out for awhile, dark already." Jamie looked around again and saw Bit was standing a few feet in front of him. Jamie: "Bit!" Jamie ran up to him and Bit turned around. Jamie: "Bit, you're still here?" Bit: (Emotionless voice) "I have things to do Jamie and I can't have you getting in the way so stay out of it." Jamie: "Wha...? Look Bit I may not know what's going on but I will find out so you should just tell me." Layon: "Sorry but you're not included in this plan Jamie" Dr. Layon walked out of the darkness into view behind Bit "Bit c'mon, we've got things to do." Bit turned around and started walking with Dr. Layon into the darkness. Jamie: "Bit, wait!" Jamie started to run after him but was stopped by a figure that seemed to appear out of no where. Leon: "He's right Jamie just stay out of this." Jamie: "Leon?" Brad: "This isn't our concern." Jamie: "Brad, you too?!" John: "Let him go Jamie, there's nothing you can do." Jamie: "John? What are all of you doing here?! LET ME THROUGH!! BIT!!!"  
  
Jamie quickly sat up with a gasp in a cold sweat, wide-eyed, mouth gaping open. He looked around and he appeared to be in the cockpit of his Raynos and by the position of the sun it appeared to be almost noon. He fell back against the seat. Jamie: "Just...a dream." Jamie didn't know exactly how he had gotten back into his Raynos but he knew he had ran into Bit before he passed out, his mind told him so, and so did his gut considering it still hurt from Bit punching it. Jamie: "Bit was talking with Dr. Layon before he left, I'm sure of it. That would explain where Liger got its new armor from, it did kinda' remind me of the Shadow Fox's color scheme. Well finding him is out of the question, but there is one more person who I'm sure knows more than Brad or Leon." Jamie fired up the Raynos's engines and took off.  
  
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Leon hit the floor of the Tauros base grasping his stomach. Harry: "Had enough yet Leon?" Harry had broken into the base and was having a new robot of his beating Leon up. The robot was on tank-like treds, had an upper body like Benjamin's, a disk like head with a visor on it, had arms like the other robots only thicker and was a light green. Harry: "You'd better talk Leon, Joshua here can keep this up all day but I don't think you can." Harry stood to the side of Joshua looking down at Leon. He was wearing a black business suit and his hair was now flat around his head coming to a sharp point between his eyes. Leon: "*cough* *cough* I told you Harry, she's not here anymore... oof!" Joshua had picked Leon up by the back of his shirt and punched him in the stomach. Dr. Tauros entered the hanger at that moment. Dr. Tauros: "Get your hands off my son!" the Doc was wearing the old army helmet and carrying the rifle again only it had a bayonet on it. He charged at the Harry with the gun but was knocked to the ground by Joshua. Harry: *tisk* *tisk* Dr. Tauros, don't you know you shouldn't play with guns? Oh well you can make amens for it if you tell me what I want to know. Tell me, Dr. Tauros, where is your daughter." The Doc gritted his teeth and made another charge for Harry but was stopped again. Harry: "So none of you are just going to tell me huh. Oh well we'll get it out of you the hard way then." Joshua proceeded to punch Dr. Tauros. Leon: "Leave him alone Harry! He's a sick old man now, he's become senile lately, he can't tell you anything!" This was a lie and Leon knew it, unfortunately Dr. Tauros was on one of his saner days today but he probably couldn't tell Harry anything. Harry: "He seems well enough to me, charging with that rifle and all. Joshua, please persuade the good doctor tell us what we want to know." Joshua: (in a deep voice) "Certainly sir."  
  
Mary: "Honestly Harry, do you have to beat up that old man, that's just cruel." Mary Champ walked into the hanger wearing a flowing, large, expensive-looking, blue dress. Harry: "Mary please, I'm not going to hurt him too badly nor am I going to let anything get in my way, I've waited to long for this." Mary: "It's not you hurting him I'm worried about, it's Joshua." Just then Sebastian came rolling into the hanger and up to Harry. Harry: "Did you find her?" Sebastian: "Sorry Harry, but it looks like, with the exception of Leon and Dr. Tauros, no one's been here for a while, Benjamin's still looking but everyone else's rooms are filled with dust. Harry: "You're sure?" Sebastian: "Fraid so Harry, the only zoid here is the Blade Liger, it looks like Jamie's room has been used recently but that's it." Harry turned to Leon. Harry: "So Jamie's still here huh." Leon: "Only recently, he left the team a long time ago on a kind of self discovery mission, he left again yesterday to talk with Brad and said he might not be back for awhile." Leon was still on the ground clutching his stomach, he had a few bruises on his face and was in a lot of pain at the moment. Harry: "Well then, I suppose or time here has been wasted. Sebastian, get Benjamin, we're leaving." Harry turned around and started walking away. Harry: "There are other people we can talk to." Leon: "What... No, you don't mean?!" Leon's eyes were wide open in horror of what he had just realized. After everyone had left Leon lifted himself off the floor picked up his, now unconscious, father, put him in his room and quickly examined the damage done, after seeing it wasn't too bad Leon went to the old briefing room and proceeded to make a call. Leon: "C'mon Brad, pick up the phone."  
  
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It was quiet for once in the apartment in the base of Brad and Naomi. The low sugar diet that Naomi had put the children on was finally taking effect and they were napping in their room. Brad and Naomi were on the coach watching TV when the video phone rang. Naomi: "Who could that be?" Brad: "Probably creditors but I'll check" Brad got up and walked over to the wall with the phone on it "good God, Leon, what the hell happened to you?!" Naomi: "Wha...?" Naomi turned around and saw a very bruised Leon on the screen. Leon: "We've got a problem Brad. Harry Champ just broke into the base and, as you can see, had his robots beat the shit outta' me." Brad: "Harry, why?" Leon: "Take a guess, they beat up my dad to and Harry's got some new robot to do all the punching." Brad: "Why didn't you just tell him?" Leon: "Like he'd believe me, look get out of your house now, I'm sure he's on his way to pay you a visit." Brad: "Got it, see ya'" Brad turned off the video screen and turned to Naomi "Take the kids and the Gustaff and get out of here now." Naomi: "What about you?" Brad: "I'm staying to "greet" our guests, now get out of here!" Naomi ran to get the kids while Brad went to the closet and got out a locked box. Inside was an assault rifle. Brad: "I've had enough of that ass for one lifetime."  
  
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Jamie landed his Raynos in front of John's base and could only look in awe. Jamie: "Damn, I heard he and his wife make a lot of money but this is incredible." Jamie walked across the lawn that had somehow managed to grow in the desert in front of the mansion-like residential section on the side of the base and knocked on the front door. Yuna: "Can I help you?" Jamie: "I'm Jamie Hemeros, I'm looking for John Dragoon, is he here?" Yuna: "Well..." John: "It's alright Yuna, you can let him in." Yuna looked back at her husband who was standing a few feet behind her and then opened the door all the way to let Jamie in. John: "I have to say, I'm a little surprised you came here, I assume you want to ask more questions." Jamie: "Do you actually know Bit?" John: "Well, not personally, but I've met him before." Jamie: "So you were just being a good person when you gave him a lift in the desert the other night." John's jaw had dropped and Yuna was looking at Jamie with a horrified expression. John: "You saw that?" Jamie: "Yeah I did, you'd be surprised what kind of info you get from just sitting around bars, I only heard that there was going to be a set up but that's all I needed." John: "All right I'll admit I've known Bit for many years and I have helped him on occasion but that's it." Jamie: "Then you don't know Dr. Layon helps him then?" Once again John's jaw dropped and nothing was said for nearly a minute. John: "How did you know that?" Jamie: "Bit probably should have waited until I was fully unconscious before calling him." John: "So you've run into him. Follow me to the hanger we'll talk there." Yuna watched Jamie and John leave the room with the horrified expression she had had just a moment ago. Yuna was well aware that John had been helping Bit, she was also well aware what would happen if anyone found out. Yuna: (whisper) "Oh my God, not this..."  
  
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Brad slammed against the wall of his small hanger which now, thanks to Naomi, had no zoids in it. Harry: "My patience is wearing thin Brad. Now tell, me where is she?" Brad stood hunched over against the wall he had just been thrown at with his head up staring at Harry, Joshua and Mary, his gun was off in the corner broken in two, it had been of little use. Brad: "Damn it. Harry! How should I know?! I left the team long before Leena, I didn't exactly keep regular contact with any of them!" Harry: "Brad, Brad, Brad, I understand that, you've always been a lone wolf, it really doesn't surprise me that you didn't talk to your old team much after you left but you must have an idea of where my sweet Leena is or know someone who does." Brad: (angry and annoyed voice) "Well sorry Harry but I don't!" Joshua approached and punched him in the stomach causing him to fall to his knees gasping and holding his stomach. Mary: "Harry, I think he's telling the truth." Harry: "I think you may be right, but Brad is a very tough person to crack, no telling what he's withholding from us. Joshua, keep him entertained for awhile, I'm going to get the Whale King prepped for take off. If Brad, Leon and Dr. Tauros don't know that leaves just one. I'm surprised it didn't hit me earlier, she's with the piece of shit Bit Cloud." Mary: "Harry, watch your language!" Harry: "Sorry Mary. But it makes perfect sense, Bit Cloud was always trying to steal her from me and he's had little over a decade to do it without me stopping him. Come, I think it's time to rescue her."  
  
Brad coughed up some blood from Joshua hitting him and then tried to speak. Brad: *cough* "You don't watch the news, do you Harry." Harry stopped and turned to look at Brad. "No one knows where Bit is, the police have been trying to figure that out for years now and have hardly come close." Harry: "Really, well then this will be a challenge won't it?" As soon as Harry and the others left Brad stumbled to his feet, putting his right hand on the wall for support while his left grabbed his stomach. He had to tell Leon about this, now.  
  
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John led Jamie through a small black, lit hallway that led to the hanger. Jamie: "Your wife seemed really worried, shouldn't you have told her you guys could trust me?" John: "Yeah probably, Yuna can be kinda high strung sometimes." Jamie: "So, what do you have to tell me?" John: "Only how I know Bit I'm afraid, you seem to have figured out most of this by yourself." The two entered the large hanger and sat down on two boxes about ten feet away from where Light Wing and a black Storm Sworder were parked.  
  
John: "The way I met Bit is pretty interesting, but don't worry it's not too long. I met Bit back when I was a wandering junk dealer like him, actually I think he may have gotten the idea from me. You see just about a year and a half earlier I had lost my whole family to an accident and was on my own, hell until about ten years ago Dragoon wasn't my real name." Jamie: "Until ten years ago?" John: "That's when I married Yuna, I already had signed a lot of official documents with a false name, I didn't want my marriage license to join those ranks. Anyway I was traveling in my old modified Redler with my old dog, God rest his soul, when I saw an old white Shield Liger being chased by some Heldigunners and Command Wolves. Something told me that they weren't good people, I still can't figure out how I came to that conclusion so fast but I helped destroy the annoying things and help the Liger pilot. As you probably guessed that pilot was Bit. We became friends fast, it turned out we were both escaping an old past and were trying to build a new life. We spent about a year traveling together before we went our separate ways." Jamie: "All right so that's how you know him but I need to know the other parts of the story, why Bit's like this, why is Dr. Layon helping him?" John: "Well..." At that moment Yuna came running into the hanger. Yuna: "John, Leon's calling, it looks like it's important!"  
  
John ran back into the house followed by Jamie. John: "Leon, what the hell happened to you?" Leon: "Long story, here's the short version, remember that rich guy we told you about, the one that always bothered us and had a big crush on my sister?" John: "Yeah I remember, Harry...Champ, right?" Leon: "Well I think he's become psychotic in the years he's been gone, he just stormed the Tauros Base, had his robots beat up me and my dad and then did the same thing to Brad." John: "Jesus Christ, is everyone okay?!" Leon: "I'll be fine, my dad's just unconscious and I called Brad so Naomi and their kids got out before they got there." John: "Good to hear, but why did you call me? Far as I know Harry's never met me before." Leon: "That's not the problem. I need you to call Bit now." John: "What? Why?" Leon: "Because according to Brad that's who he's going after next." John: "So? No one's ever been able to find Bit before, the police have been trying for years and they're still not even close." Leon: "Yeah but Harry has got millions, maybe even billions of dollars to blow on looking for him. The price on Bit's head will double or even triple and every bounty hunter from around the world will be looking to collect it." John: "Shit, you're right. Okay I'll call Dr. Layon and warn them."  
  
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Bit Cloud lay face first on his bed, he had been asleep since he got back and was pretty tired. No force on Zi could have woken him at that point. Dr. Layon was in the control room of the Whale King fiddling with the controls, working on firing out bugs in the system when the video phone rang. Layon: "What is it John?" John: "Sorry to bother you but this is important. Do you remember running into a kid named Harry Champ at one point or another?" Layon: "Harry? Sure I remember, but what does that have to do with anything?" John: "He's back, he just got through with beating up Leon, Brad and Dr. Tauros and now he's looking for Bit." Layon: "What?! Why is he doing that?" John: "What else, he's looking for Leena." Layon: "What?! Didn't anyone just tell him what happened?!" John: "No, the way Harry's acting there's no way he'd believe it. Look unlike the police Harry has no kids at home who worship Bit and he's got a personal grudge and millions of dollars, you and Bit are in serious danger." Layon: "Understood, I'll try and wake Bit."  
  
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Jamie: "You can contact Dr. Layon at any time?" John: "Sure, I lied when I said I help them out a little, I do a lot more than a little so I have to be able to contact them at anytime, I try not to for fear of the line being traced but sometimes I have to." John got up and started walking back to the hanger. Jamie: "What about your story?" John: "Later, we've got bigger fish to fry now. Come on I'm gonna need some help." Jamie: "Uh...sure." Jamie quickly followed.  
  
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Dr. Layon entered Bit's room and walked up to his bed. Layon: "Bit!" Dr, Layon grabbed Bit's shoulder and began to shake him. Layon: "Bit, wake up, emergency!!" still no response. Layon: "BIT!!!" Bit turned his head so one eye was visible and it was also visibly closed. At this point nothing on Zi could wake him, well almost nothing. Dr. Layon took a step back and spoke just above a whisper. Layon: "Harry Champ." Bit's eye sprung open and his hand grabbed Dr. Layon's neck. Layon: "He's back and he's looking for you." Bit loosened his grip and took his hand of Layon's throat. Bit: "Damn it, there's one name I never wanted to hear again."  
  
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Harry stood at the window once again looking out at the desert below. Benjamin: "Harry!" Harry turned around as Benjamin came rolling up. Harry: "Did you find him?" Benjamin: "Sorry Harry, looks like Brad was telling the truth, Bit is hard to find. It appears he's an outlaw now, destroying convoys and some buildings. He's got a pretty hefty price on his head now." Harry: "I always knew he was a low life and this proves it. I just hope he hasn't contaminated my sweet Leena's mind." Benjamin: "What if she's not with him Harry?" Harry: "She'll be with him and even if she isn't he'll know where she is that piece of scum." At that moment the Whale King was rocked by explosions. Harry: "what's happening?!" Sebastian came in over an intercom system. Sebastian: "It looks like we're being attacked from behind!" Harry: "Damn it! Must be bandits. No matter. Nothing will get in the way of me and my love for my sweet Leena!"  
  
Harry and Benjamin ran into the control room of the Whale King where Mary, Sebastian and Joshua already were there. Harry: "Who's attacking us?!" Sebastian: "Take a look for yourself." Sebastian fiddled with the controls and a screen showing the rear of the Whale King came into view. Be hind them was a Raynos and the Light Wing which, now in the sun light, had silver half domes in a few places that had gattling guns coming out of them: on it's chest which had two guns, each side with one gattling gun a piece and it's back which had two. Harry: "The Raynos is Jamie I know it!" Benjamin: "Yeah but what's that other zoid?" Harry: "Who cares, just shoot it down!" Sebastian: "We can, they've taken out the rear guns!" Harry: "What?!"  
  
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Jamie: "John are you sure this is such a good idea?" John: "Positive, the playing field is level with these guys only in battle, well actually we've got the advantage." Jamie: "But it's five against two and I don't know about you but I'm a little rusty." John: "No, no Jamie, it's even, just look ahead." Jamie: "Huh? What!?" about a mile two miles ahead the red Blade Liger, Shadow Fox and Liger Zero were waiting for them. Jamie: "John what's going on?!" John: "We're taking them out now, this Harry guy is supposed to be royalty, right? Well it's a bad idea to let princes become spoiled so we have to teach him a lesson. Besides he can't do anything about it, not after wrecking Leon's and Brad's bases, he won't have any proof anyways."  
  
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Sebastian: "Harry look. Ahead of us!" Harry: "Well, well, well, looks like they saved of the trouble of looking for them. It looks like they want to fight to." Benjamin: "We're not actually going to battle them are we?" Harry: "Of course we are! This is just how it should be. Now we can pay them back for all those humiliating defeats they've handed us and get the information I desire. Sebastian prepare to land. Everyone to your zoids!"  
  
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John: "Hey Bit it looks like they've accepted our challenge!" the Light Wing came to hover above its ally zoids while the Raynos kept going. Bit: "Good, we'll get rid of them the way we always have. Is everyone ready?!" Leon, Brad, Jamie, John: "Yeah!"  
  
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Before landing the Whale King launched two aerial zoids, a Storm Sworder that had added weapons like the ones Dr. Layon had used and a Hammer Head with a few extra missile pods, a Buster cannon on bottom and several extra gun turrets. John: "Grrrr. I hate Hammer Heads!" Jamie: "Really? Why?" John: "Long story." As it landed it let three zoids out of its mouth. One was defiantly a Gun Blaster with two large laser cannons on the sides and had some of it's center guns removed to make room for a cannon of some sort, but the other two no one had ever seen. Brad: "What the fuck are those?!" Harry: "Surprised? These are new experimental zoids, they really cost a pretty penny but oh well. My sister Mary is piloting a new modified Gun Blaster, Benjamin is piloting an experimental zoid called the Dark Spinner and as for me, I'm piloting the king of zoids, the Gojulas Giga!" Leon: "Damn, it figures they'd have a bunch of new toys to use." Mary: "Good heavens, what have you done to my snowflake?!?!" Bit: "Damn it, not that again. This is a battle zoid, it's made to battle not look good." Brad: "Just like old times huh. Now all we need is Leena and her over loaded Gun Sniper, a judge and Harry forking over a ton of cash to fight him." Bit: "All right guys fan out, Leon you keep that Dark Spinner thing busy, Brad get rid of that Gun Blaster, John and Jamie you guys get rid of the air units, Harry is mine."  
  
All the zoids charged at each other and spread out with Harry and Bit charging at each other down the middle. John: "Jamie, you keep that Storm Sworder busy, I'll take care of the Hammer Head." Jamie: "Gotcha." Sebastian: "Joshua be careful with that Hammer Head, if you lose it's going to take awhile for Harry to trust you again." Joshua: "I understand." The Raynos began shooting at the Storm Sworder to draw its attention and draw it away. The two veered far to the left of the other two and John wasted no time in attacking the Hammer Head. Light Wing flew past it shooting its side gattling guns at it. John: "Damn it, it dodged. For a Hammer Head that thing's fast." Brad was busy with trying to pin down what should have been a slow zoid. Brad: "Call me crazy, but I think this things speed has been modified!" Leon: "The Champ Team heavily modifying their zoids. Big surprise." Leon was busy testing what the Dark Spinner was capable of. Bit had already been knocked back twice by Harry and was getting really frustrated. Bit: "God damn it! How thick is the fucking armor?!" Harry: "Surprised Bit? You should be, every zoid here is special and unique, each specially made or modified. It doesn't matter how good you are Bit, this time my powerful technology is more than a match for your pathetic skill." Bit: "Looks like you've been away from battling for to long. What little experience you gained is gone. I'll show you just how pathetic you are!"  
  
Jamie and Sebastian were locked in a ferocious dog fight in the air with no end in sight. Jamie: "Damn, how could he be this good?" Sebastian: "Sorry Jamie, but my program has been updated to act much faster and I'm now connected directly to my zoid so I can react much faster than you, sorry." Jamie: "Guys, did you hear that?" John: "Yeah, I heard it." Leon: "That would explain how Benjamin's dodging me." John: "Doesn't matter!" The Hammer Head shot all of it's turrets and missile at Light wing trying to shoot it down. John: "Damn it! That thing has a lot of weapons!" John managed to dodge most of the shots but got hit with a few of the missile explosions. John: "That's it! Let's see how you like Light Wing's signature move!" Light Wing stopped, opened it's mouth revealing a lens inside it that formed a small light ball in front of it's mouth. The light ball suddenly let lose about ten thick curving orange lasers heading for the Hammer Head as if they were locked on to it. The Hammer Head raised a large shield and blocked it. John: "Shit, it's got a shield!" The Buster Cannon at the bottom of the Hammer Head began to glow and then let out a huge blast at Light Wing. John: "Crap!" A green shield raised in front of Light Wing. John: "Unfortunately for you I have one too and it's stronger than yours."  
  
Harry: "Actually all of us have shields." Bit: "What?!" Simultaneously everyone else fired at the Camp Team's zoids. Each of them were blocked by a shield. Leon: "Damn!" Brad: "Fuck!" Jamie: "Oh no!" Harry: "I figured we'd fight each other and this time it would really count so I spared no expense in upgrading our zoids. Everything on them is state of the art, powerful shields on all of them, new more powerful guns, speed boosters and my favorite." Two large pieces of steel fell from the sides of the Gojulas's feet, anchoring it as it aimed it's mouth at the Liger Zero and blue electricity began flowing through it's mouth. Bit: "What the hell are you doing?!" Liger immediately jumped out of the way as the Gojulas Giga fired a Plasma Particle beam from it's mouth. Harry: "I got the idea during the Royal cup from watching those Geno Saures and the Berserk Fury. Unfortunately I was never able to find a Charged Particle Cannon, but this will do." Bit: "You're insane."  
  
Jamie: "John! Little help here!" John: "Sorry Jamie but my hands are tied." Leon: "C'mon guys we can't get beaten by these amateurs!" Brad: "It's not like we're letting them win! John: "Damn it! Everyone's too fatigued to fight at full power."  
  
The battle was going very bad for everyone but the Champ Team. No one had been incapacitated yet but everyone was taking a lot of shots. The Shadow Fox hid in smoke and tried shooting it's electric net at the Gun Blaster but it was burned up against it's shield. Leon tried charging the Dark Spinner with it's blades but was shot in the leg. Bit tried the same with Harry but was repelled by the Gojulas Giga's tail slamming into him. Jamie was on the run from the Storm Sworder's missiles and trying to avoid it's fire as well. John was busy just trying not to get hit by the Buster Cannon. Light Wings shield had repelled it once but it had taken a large chunk out of the shield energy from taking the full bunt of the attack. John: "This is hopeless. Everyone but me and Jamie are fighting at less than 50% of their full strength. Jamie's hasn't fought in awhile and I'm fighting something that's practically covered with guns. Got to get past this thing's shield but...hey wait that might work." Light Wing activated it's shield and dove at the Hammer Head at full speed, the Hammer Head raised it's shield and blocked it. Joshua: "If you were trying to hit me before I could activate my shield you're wasting your time. What? Shields failing, power dropping?" The Hammer Head's shield disappeared and was rammed by Light Wing and was knocked back and lost a few turrets from the impact. John: "Little known fact, when shields collide they will cancel each other out, however my shield is on a very unusual frequency were your shield is canceled but mines not." Light Wing opened fire with all of it's arsenals Knocking the Hammer Head to the ground. Harry: "Joshua!"  
  
Jamie: "Damn it! I can't take much more of this!" Sebastian: "Too bad Jamie and I was really enjoying my AHHHH!" The Storm Sworder was shot down by orange lasers and fell out of the sky. Jamie: "Thanks John." John: "No problem now lets help the others." Harry: "Not so fast, you didn't think I'd only bring five zoids did you?" Looking a few miles ahead John and Jamie could clearly see a small army of zoids marching towards them. Jamie: "Dang how many of them are they?" John: "Sheesh, how much money does this guy have?!" Jamie: "It looks like helping the others will have to wait until later." John: "Right, hang in there guys."  
  
Harry: "Just give up Bit. You won't beat me this time." Bit: "Yeah, I won't beat you, I'll kill you!" Harry: "Temper, temper Bit. Just make this easy on yourself and tell me where my sweet Leena is." Liger stopped moving at the point. Harry, puzzled, stopped firing. The Liger turned to face the Gojulas Giga. Bit: "She... was... never... YOURS!!!" The Liger went into it's Five Blade Attack. The Gojulas shielded itself expecting to stop him, but when the Liger hit it the shield shattered. Harry: "What?! HOW?!" Mary and Benjamin: "Harry!!" Brad and Leon saw their chance and took it blowing both of them to the ground. Bit: "YAAAA!!!" With it's back blades extended the Liger charged at Harry and cut it through the mid-section. Harry: "Damn you! You piece of shit!" The Gojulas fired one last Plasma Particle Cannon. The blast didn't hit the Liger but it sent Liger flying, it hit the ground and started rolling before hitting some rocks. Leon and Brad: "BIT!!!" John and Jamie just got back when it happened. John: "Bit, NO!!" Jamie: "No Bit!!"  
  
John: "Brad, you brought your Gustav here, take Bit and the Liger to the Tauros Base!" Brad: "Why?" Leon: "We can't take him to the hospital and the old base is the closest!" Brad: "Got it!" John: "We'll all meet there, and as for you!" Light Wing turned to face the Champ Team, Harry was unconscious too. John: "If you ever come back we'll blast you so bad they'll have to use a sponge to pick you all up, got it! Let's go guys." Jamie: "Wait! I'm tired of being in the dark about all of this, they weren't helping and Brad and Leon knew about you and Dr. Layon helping Bit. I want answers!" John Paused for a moment, he looked at Jamie through the video screen with steely resolve debating with himself what to do. John: "All right. Jamie follow me." Light Wing took off and the Raynos followed.  
  
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The two zoids landed in a field of grass. Both got out of their zoids. John: "Jamie, see that small building at the top of that hill? Go there and you will find the answers you're looking for." Jamie: "Huh?" John: "Just go." Jamie walked up to top of the hill. The building at the top appeared to be some kind of monument, it was well decorated, like a church almost. Jamie walked inside, there was something in the center. Jamie approached it and looked at it. Jamie: "Oh my God!" Jamie fell on his hands and knees staring in disbelief at the small monument with his mouth gasping his eyes wide.  
  
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The monument read.  
R.I.P.  
Leena Cloud  
  
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S.D. Well, um, I guess I'll see ya. Knuckles: Adios mis muchachos. 


	7. Painful Memories

Losing the Soul S.D. Hi everybody! Audience: Hi Steam Detective! Knuckles: how'd you do that? S.D. that's a secret. Anyway I was a little disappointed by the lack of reviews I got for my last chapter. I don't know whether you're all mad at me for killing off Leena or if most of your reviews didn't get through for some reason or you just didn't feel like it. I would please ask you to keep reviewing. Knuckles: C'mon people that last chapter took hours to write and we got four reviews! Do you have any idea how depressing that is?! I mean, we weren't expecting to have to clean out our inbox from all the reviews but still. S.D. Now, now Knuckles I'm sure they had a good reason, didn't you all? Oh and before I forget. Knuckles: That happens pretty fast. S.D. Shut up. For all of you who know Leena is not supposed to have two (e)s in it but that's how most people seems to spell it and I was afraid everyone would tell me I spelled it wrong. Well on with the story!  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 7: Painful Memories  
  
Jamie stared at the grave with a horrified expression on his face. He stayed there on his hands and knees looking at the polished marble cube with a praying angel on top for nearly five minutes. John: "It's a real shame isn't it?" Jamie turned around and John was standing behind him with his arms folded. Jamie: "What happened, when did she die?" John looked at the ground for a moment before answering. John: "Jamie she didn't die she was killed. She was only twenty-six to. To make matters worse I'll bet you haven't looked to the right of her grave yet." Jamie: "What?" Jamie looked back at Leena's grave then looked to the right. Jamie: "God no!" Jamie ran out side the small crypt and began to vomit. Next to Leena's grave there were two other graves similar to Leena's but they were smaller and had child angels on top. They read R.I.P. Tobias Cloud and R.I.P. Amber Cloud.  
  
John walked out of the crypt and approached Jamie who was hunched over on the ground finishing his business. John knew this was a lot to take in all at once so he left him alone for a minute or two before speaking.  
  
John: "Stuff like this can really break people, especially when they've lived a hard life." Jamie got up and wiped his mouth and sat on one of the two ornate stone benches in front of the crypt. Jamie: "Bit and Leena got married, and they had kids?" John sat on the other bench and looked at him. John: "I never actually knew very well Leena, I met her once at their wedding and every once and while after that, but I do know the whole story better than anyone except for Bit." Jamie: "What happened?" John: "I'll tell you if you brace yourself, it's kinda sad seeing a grown man throw up like that."  
  
John: "About one year after the Royal Cup Bit and Leena managed to get themselves stuck somewhere together. You know how it goes after that, trap two people with problems in a small space and so forth. It turned out Leena had had a crush on Bit for quite awhile, her constant beatings of him were sort of an excuse to get close to him and a way of venting her frustration." Jamie: "You're kidding, right?" John: "Tell me Jamie, thinking back on it who started that whole stealing each other's food thing, Bit or Leena?" Jamie sat therefore a minute looking forward, thinking. Jamie: "Leena started it, when she stole Bit's cookie then Bit stole her donut to get even with her and it going back and forth from there." John: "Bingo. Shortly after you left they admitted their love for each other to everyone partly because of the incident." Jamie: "What incident." John: "Bit got Leena pregnant. According to Leon, Bit screamed so loud when she told him that you could hear him for miles. They got married shortly after. Apparently they had contemplated it before but didn't intend to for a few more years." Jamie: "Why didn't Leena just get an abortion?" John: "I hope you don't say you knew Leena well because if you did I'd think you were lying. Leena was someone of principle even if she didn't seem it at times, she wouldn't do it, besides her father forbade it. They lived a pretty happy life, despite what Brad would tell you kids don't always turn into a huge headache. From what I gathered little Toby was an angel. Three years later they decided they wanted another and Amber was born. Things went well for them, no one could stop the Blitz Team, the marriage of Bit and Leena strengthened their bond on the battle field and both became stronger. The whole sense of family made the Blitz Team unstoppable for a time." Jamie: "Whole sense of family?" John: "Remember Leon was now on the team again so the Blitz Team became made up of family for a time. Then it happened."  
  
Jamie: "What happened? What caused it to end?" John: "They took the kids out for the day. They took the Hover Cargo with them along with the Gun Sniper and Liger and went on a family outing. They were outside looking at the view when it happened. Some aerial zoids showed up and someone from the cockpit used a machine gun on them. Bit got hit on his right shoulder and it scared him pretty badly. Leena turned around trying to shield Amber, who she was holding at the time, but one of the bullets passed clear through her chest and hit Amber in the shoulder. Amber died at the hospital days later, she was two. Toby was handed the most merciful death, shot right through the head and died on the spot, he was five. A missile was then fired at the Hover Cargo destroying Liger's armors and the Gun Sniper." Jamie: "No wonder Bit's like this, after all of that it must feel like the world's against him. Hey wait! If Liger was on board why wasn't it destroyed?" John: "The Liger had the good fortune of being in between the panels that held the armor for Zero Panzer, it still took heavy damage but it wasn't destroyed."  
  
Jamie: "So Bit became a criminal because of Leena's and their children's deaths. That's sad to hear." John: "Have you been ignoring everything I say? One of the first things I told you when we met was that Bit was still good, besides it was more than just the assassination. Remember how I said that Bit had had a hard life? Bit's childhood was very traumatic. He was born into a well off family, his father, James Cloud, was a respected business man and he made plenty of money, but when Bit was five his father passed away and the company crumbled. His mother, Ruby, tried as hard as she could to raise Bit and make enough money but it wasn't easy. She kept ending up with lousy people again and again, almost all of whom were cruel to Bit when her back was turned. She remarried to some jerk when Bit was nine; he abused Bit the worst of all. He still has some faint scars on his back and chest from that. Bit's mother died when he was eleven and life became a lot harder. Bit ran away as soon as his legs were strong enough to carry him. To Bit, losing his family after having so much unfairness in his life and after working so hard to get where he was a horrible injustice."  
  
John: "Actually Bit isn't just committing crimes. We have a specific enemy and I've been working on the side lines to track their movements and unmask them while Bit disrupts their information and supplies." Jamie: "Specific enemy?" John: "Doesn't it seem a little odd that Bit's family was killed just blindly and the murderers just happen to have a missile strong enough to destroy the Hover Cargo. Well after the attack I looked into it and managed to find a name. Fire Wind." Jamie: "Fire Wind?" John: "They're an organization trying to bring back the dark battles. That's why Bit was attacked they feared him." Jamie: "Why would they want to do that?" John: "Jamie, do you know what the term fire wind refers to? When a large fire starts immediately spreading over a large area it needs a large amount of oxygen, when it sucks all this in the movement of air is violent like a strong wind. Also if you deny a fire oxygen, not smothering it, just not giving it anymore and then suddenly introducing it causes a large sweeping of flames which, can in turn, cause a "fire wind", this Jamie, is commonly referred to as a back-draft." Jamie's jaw dropped and he stared at John. Jamie: "No!" John: "Fire Wind is made up mostly of former Back Draft Group members. That's why they wanted Bit dead, that's why they tried to destroy the Liger. Bit is out for revenge and out to stop them before they complete their insane plans."  
  
Jamie: "So the Back Draft is back in a new form and they attacked Bit because he was a potential threat and tried to destroy Liger and it's armors in case anyone else could pilot it. Bet they didn't count on Dr. Layon betraying them and building more armor." John: "Dr. Layon didn't make that armor, I did." Jamie: "What?! You?! But it has stealth shields and looks like the Shadow Fox. The pivot for the sniper rifle is a scaled down copy of the pivot for the Fox's Vulcan Gun!" John: "That was the idea. The police are well aware that Bit is receiving help but they don't know who and by designing parts of the Zero Phantom like the Shadow Fox I cover my tracks." Jamie: "So Dr. Layon was with you from the beginning? So then he did help build the armor." John: "You'd think that, but no. Engineering and archeology has been a sort of hobby of mine and I've managed to find many technological advancements that are scientists missed, how they missed them I don't know. A lot of that technology was actually things developed after the Guylos War and was just forgotten; among the stuff I found was a very advanced cloaking device and things I call sound scrubbers, they absorb and cancel out most sound, which is why Liger is so quiet. Heck, if you must know I found all that stuff on the Stealth Storm Sworder my wife uses." Jamie: "But the color." John: "I designed two identical sets of armor, the first was Zero Alpha it was white with blue blades and after Dr. Layon found us and volunteered I painted the Beta armor, which I renamed Phantom, like the Shadow Fox. The gun pivot was just a coincidence." Jamie: "You threw away a set of armor?" John: "No, Alpha was test armor, I was working with two new metals I had found the processes for making and I hadn't used them too much. The first armor didn't hold up well so I scrapped it."  
  
Jamie: "So everyone was in on this huh?" John: "Nope. Leon and Brad can't help but know about the attack, they know that I built Liger's armor and that Dr. Layon is helping but they don't know about Fire Wind." Jamie: "Why not." John: "Bit didn't want anyone else to get involved. He already feels guilty for dragging me into this with me having a family and all. Which reminds me." Jamie: "What?" John: "We have to get back, fix Liger and get Bit out of the base before Fire Wind shows up and get to Layon's place and plan our next move." Jamie: "Our next move?" John: "I may not have known you for very long Jamie but I know you're going to insist on helping us. I figured that you'd keep looking for answers and asking me about so that's why I told you the whole story. You're coming along for the ride"  
  
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Brad: "How's he doin'?" Leon: "He's still unconscious but it looks like he didn't get hurt too badly." Leon and Brad had quickly removed Bit from Ligers cockpit and put him in the backseat of Brad's, Gustav loaded up Liger and were heading for the Tauros Base. Bit was banged up pretty badly, the restraints in Liger had given way and he had been thrown around as Liger rolled. The fatigue from the night before and using so much energy had put a lot of stress on his body and he was out cold. The Tauros Base soon came into view over the horizon. Leon: "We're almost there. Huh?" Light Wing and the Raynos suddenly appeared over head now following along with the Gustav. Leon: "That was quick; it hasn't even been forty minutes." John: "Hey guys." Jamie: "How's Bit?" Brad: "He's still out and he got thrown around a little but it doesn't look too bad." John: "Good ta hear."  
  
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On board his Whale King, Harry Champ began to wake up. Benjamin: "Harry, Harry can you hear me?" Harry: "Ugh...my head. What happened?" Benjamin: "They got us again. Bit did a number on the Gojulas Giga and you fell unconscious." Harry: "What?! Please tell me we're tracking them!" Benjamin: "Sorry Harry but your last Plasma Particle beam knocked the Liger down and hurt Bit. The others seemed ready to kill us if we bothered them." Harry: "So what? Like they actually would kill a prince and risk enraging our home country." Benjamin: "They all seemed tired and cranky; people do stupid things when they're mad." Harry: "Well, I suppose that we'll have to start searching for Leena again, perhaps we should check official records." Benjamin: "You mean like we should have done in the first place instead of ransacking Leon's and Brad's homes for information, already ahead of you, Sebastian is looking into it now." Sebastian: "Harry, Harry!" Harry: "What is it Sebastian, did you find her?" Sebastian: "Well yes but I have some bad news I'm afraid. Harry I was looking into the records and I found several things you're not going to like. First off it seems Leena married Bit while you were gone." Harry: "WHAT?!?! That bastard! I knew he took her!" Sebastian: "Harry, let me finish. The news gets worse. It seems they had two children and..." Harry: "AHH!!! I'm going to kill him, to think he has touched and had his way with my darling!!!" Sebastian: "Harry! Please I'm not done. The reason we couldn't find her is she's no longer among the living." Harry stared at Sebastian for a moment. Harry: "What?" Sebastian: "About six years ago Bit and Leena were on a family outing when they were attacked. Everybody but Bit was gunned down." Harry: "..." Benjamin: "Harry...?" Harry: "That asshole!!! He led my love to her death!!!" Harry began crying into his pillow. Sebastian: "Harry..." Benjamin put his hand on Sebastian's "shoulder". Benjamin: "Maybe we should leave him alone for now." Benjamin and Sebastian rolled out of the room leaving Harry to wallow in his sorrow.  
  
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Jamie: "Well?" John and Leon walked out of Bit's old room. John: "He'll be fine." Leon: "Apart from extreme exhaustion and couple of bumps here and there he's okay." John: "He just needs to rest. He'll probably be asleep for a day or two." Brad came walking down the hall. Brad: "Man this place has become a real dump." Leon: "What can I say I've had to take care of the place by myself." Dr. Tauros: "Hey, I help out sometimes." The doc suddenly showed up from the other end of the hall with his head bandaged. Leon: "Dad? How are you feeling?" Dr. Tauros: "Apart from some bumps and bruises I'm fine." Jamie: "Is this one of his saner days?" Leon looked at Jamie, smiled and nodded. Dr. Tauros: "Well, what's everyone standing around for? We've got zoids to fix. C'mon time's a-wastin'!" The Doc, now with a smile on his face, ran back down the hall leaving the others staring for a moment before it occurred to them to follow.  
  
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Once again in the dark room the eight people sat. Voice 1: "Our plan has failed, we have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in supplies and many zoids. Number six, this was your idea. Needless to say you will be punished. Voice 6: "Wait! Commander Altile please. I have one last idea that could be of use!" Altile: "I'm listening." Voice 6: "Ted Hawkings, one of the police officers we used. His records show he is a superb pilot and, according to everyone in his department, hates Bit Cloud with a vengeance. It is said that a zoid responds to it's pilots emotions heightening their own power. With his blind rage, which must be at fever pitch after this last defeat, he will be easy to manipulate and we can use his anger with the new prototype." Altile: "That is a bold proposition, but I like it. It just may work and we do need a new pilot for the prototype anyway." Voice 3: "But I might have a better plan. According to intelligence reports, Bit Cloud along with two old Blitz Team members, Leon Tauros and, oddly enough, a member of Team Dragoon have faced off in battle against the old members of the Champ Team. Mr. Champ, who had a violent infatuation with Leena Cloud, came looking for her and got locked in a fight. Bit won the battle but seems to have been knocked unconscious with Liger and the other zoids damaged and are at the Tauros Base as we speak." Altile: "Perfect! If we strike now we can destroy them. Number six, for your sake you should hope this plan fails and yours works. Prepare the unmanned zoids units immediately!"  
  
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Leon: "Could someone help me with this!?" Leon was inside of the mid- section of his Blade Liger fixing some wiring and he was, at the moment, practically tied up in the tangled wire. Jamie: "Hold on I'm come'in." Everyone was busy working on there zoids, fixing minor damage, except John who was working on the Liger Zero with Doc. Dr. Tauros: "The wiring in this armor is amazing. Wish I thought of this about twelve years earlier." John: "It's not that incredible. I just made sure not to make any unnecessary junctions and kept it simple." Dr. Tauros: "Nonsense, this is great! Where did you learn to make things like this?" John: "I'm self taught for the most part. But if you must know I got my experience in wiring and systems mostly from working on Light Wing." With that the Light Wing dragon let out a screech of pride for itself. Dr. Tauros: "All this just from working on your zoid?" John: "Light Wing is part of a rare group of zoids called Panzer Dragons. They're ancient. Archeologists are still finding remains of old zoids that are clearly related to them. To put it simply, they've had plenty of time to fire out bugs in their designs and my Light Wing is thought to be the most advanced stage of the different varieties." Once again Light Wing let out an approving screech. Dr. Tauros: "I don't quite get it." John: "Did you know that we humans have an organ that has absolutely no use whatsoever. Yet we still have it. It's believed to be a leftover from a previous evolution of ours. This applies to zoids too. When they evolve and change into a new zoid they may still have some things from their old forms that aren't of any use but do no harm. By eliminating all of these you can improve a zoids performance." Dr. Tauros: "Aw I see. I'll have to do some research on that." John: "You've got to stay sane long enough first." Several explosions rocked the base at that moment. Brad: "What the hell's happening?!" Red lights began flashing in the hanger and an alarm started sounding. Leon: "The alarm! We're under attack!" Jamie was just finishing untangling the wires looked up at Leon. Jamie: "Never a dull moment theses days huh?"  
  
Everyone quickly ran towards the control room. Leon: "Oh no!" The video screen revealed many units advancing towards the base. The forces were made up of D-Manti, Hell Cats and Saber Tigers. John: "They've been watching us!" Brad: "What?!" John: "They must have been watching our fight with Harry, they know our zoids are damaged and Bit is unconscious so they're attacking us while we're down." Jamie: "Those cowards." Brad: "Who's been watching us?" John: "We'll talk about that later. Leon, doesn't this base have some sort of defense system?!" Leon: "No, there was never any need." John: "Never any need?! Bit's already told me when he first met you guys he walked right in here with no resistance. This place has been broken into before not once but twice! Why did no one think to put in a defense system?!" Dr. Tauros: "Well there was no place to put it, what with the laser cannons lining the base and there wiring." Everyone turned around and stared at Doc for a minute. Dr. Tauros: "What? What did I say?" Brad: "Leon, will you please activate the guns, we'll talk about the Doc's habit of withholding important information later." Leon: "Yeah, right."  
  
Outside the base, were a small army of zoids were just less than a mile away, many guns began coming out of the roof and sides of the Tauros Base and began blasting the enemy zoids. Leon: "That should hold them for now but they'll break through. C'mon we need to finish repairing our zoids."  
  
Jamie: "What do you mean you can't help us!?" John: "Sorry, but you guys know I can't risk being seen." Brad: "What is this all about anyway?" John: "It's a long story and I don't have time to explain, most of the guns outside have been blasted. Now get out there and get rid of those things!" With that everyone but John got into their zoids and ran out of the hanger. Dr. Tauros: "Well I guess with the other zoids fixed I'll keep working on the Liger." John: "You do that. In the meantime I'll head back to the control room and try and help the guys someway."  
  
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Altile: "Perhaps we will finally be rid of them once and for all." Voice 2: "It would seem that way. Everyone there must be exhausted from their previous fight and their zoids must still have some damage on them." Voice 4: "Hmm. That dragon zoid is not there." Voice 7: "He's probably hiding. Doesn't want to get involved." Voice 8: "Perhaps he has been helping and that's why he was there in the first place." Voice 3: "Then we should go after him next!" Altile: "No, we can't risk that. It will raise too many questions. The assignation of the Clouds is already a curiosity. The murder of another family could spark a heavier investigation and uncover us. Our plans are not yet finished and we can't afford to be found out." Voice 5: "Besides we have no proof he has been helping and if this attack fails we can't risk throwing away another army of zoids. At this rate we'll deplete our supplies and funds without ever having made our presence known." Altile: "Number six, you're being quiet. Thinking about your punishment?" Number six, like all the others was veiled in shadow, was sitting with his elbows on the semi-circle table they sat at worrying about his fate as Altile had suspected.  
  
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Brad: "Yaaaaah!" The Shadow Fox's claws came crashing down on a Hell Cat. While Brad was busy with this Jamie was taking advantage of the Raynos's sonic boom and the enemy being so close to one another and Leon was using his blades to mow down as many of them as possible. Leon: "There's too many of them!" Jamie: "I don't know how much longer we can hold them off!" Brad: "John, please tell me this isn't as bad as it looks!" John: "I would but I don't like lying." Leon: "Damn it, these unmanned zoids are like cockroaches. You squash one and three more seem to appear!" John stood in the control room watching them fight against these odds and he couldn't help but feel guilty. He had a family to protect, yes but they were safe now and his friends weren't. Jamie: "Damn it! I'll kill you all if it's the last thing I do!" Brad: "John I'm going to activate my smoke screen. See if you can use the base sensors to help me it's hard to maneuver here with all these guys! John?" Leon: "John?" John: "Guys fall back!" Light Wing was suddenly launched and was hovering above the battle field. John: "This is going to get messy so you might want to get behind me!" Jamie: "John what are you doing?!" John: "Taking care of business." John punched a few keys in on Light Wings controls and then pulled a lever striped yellow and black. Light Wing's screen was suddenly covered with targeters each locked on to every zoid. John put his finger on a square red button preparing to push it. John: "Take this you assholes." John pushed the button and Light Wing began to charge a ball of energy in front of it's mouth. John: "Eat this! BERSERK RAGE!!!" The energy ball lat loose a volley of laser beam. There were literally thousands of blasts giving off a sound between a pop and a laser discharge. In less than a minute the enemy forces were leveled.  
  
Brad: "HOLY SHIT!" Jamie: "That was incredible!" Leon: "John what the hell was that!" John: "That was Light Wings ultimate attack, Berserk. I'm not allowed to use it in official battles and I don't like using it, I consider it unfair. That and it's a major drain on power." Jamie: "Why didn't you use that against Harry's unmanned army earlier?" John: "My energy level was too low." Dr. Tauros: "Hey I finished fixing the Liger!" Leon: "That's great dad." Jamie: "A huge battle just went on and he acts like nothing happened." John: "So he's not totally sane today?" Leon: "Hardly, this is the most normal I've seen him in years."  
  
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Altile: "My God!" Voice 5: "That was amazing!" Voice 2: "That was stunning!" Voice 8: What tremendous power!" Number Six let out a small sigh of relief. Altile: "Well number six it would seem fortune has smiled on you toady. Have someone contact that police officer. The Comity of Seven is adjourned.  
  
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Brads Gustav, carrying Liger, rolled into the mouth of the old Whale King. Layon: "Good God! What happened?!" Brad: "Bit got ruffed up a little." Leon: "He'll probably be up in a day or two." John: "Anyway, the Liger's fixed for the most part it just needs it's ammo and energy restored." Layon: "Right, put Bit on that stretcher and I'll take him to his room." Leon and Brad lifted Bit out of the back seat and on to the stretcher and Dr. Layon wheeled him out. Leon: "Alright John, it's explanation time." Brad: "Who were those guys who attacked us?" John: "Oh boy, I didn't think I'd have tell this story twice in one day. Take a seat you guys. Jamie you don't have to listen if you don't want to and you guys hold your questions until after I'm done talking."  
  
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Lara: "Ted will you stop moping and come to bed?" Lara stood on the balcony of Ted and her's apartment in her night gown. Ted: "He got away again with all that stuff and all the reinforcements we should of been able to get him." Lara: "Ted it wasn't your fault or anybody else's. We didn't know he could do that. You heard what he said he's never had to do that before." Ted was at the end of the balcony looking out over the city with his arms on the railing wondering what went wrong. The phone suddenly rang. Lara: "Who could it be at this hour?" Lara walked back inside and Ted looked back at her. Lara: "Ted, it's for you!" Ted lifted himself off the railing and walked inside and took the phone from Lara's hand. Ted: "Hello. Oh it's you. Look I'm real sorry about what happened and...what? Really? That'd be great! Yeah I could be there tomorrow." Ted hung up the phone. Lara: "Who was that?" Ted: "It was the guys that gave us those zoids. They want me to try out a new one of there's." Lara: "Really, I wonder why." Ted: "Don't have a clue but I figure it's the least I can do for them after we blew it."  
  
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S.D. Well that's it. Please review this time. Knuckles: No one likes a beggar. S.D. Silence! I'll try and update by the end of the week. Oh and as for making Harry a kind of villain he never seemed very mentally sound I figured he'd have cracked after fourteen years. See ya! Knuckles: Catch you on the flip side! 


	8. Lost in Memory

S.D. Hi everyone. Do you know what time it is? Knuckles: How about time to cut out the jokes. S.D. You're no fun you know that don't you. Well anyway thanks for reviewing. This chapter is going to be a little different than usual. It's not going to cut to different events every time a conversation is over. Bit knocks out some zoids and after that we cut to the police and stuff. Don't worry it's just for this and the next chapters. Knuckles: I think what you just said was grammatically incorrect. S.D. What are you my English teacher? Anyway enjoy the chapter if you don't like it don't worry this will get back to normal by the next chapter or the one after that. Oh and don't forget to check if your reviews went through one of my patrons didn't review the last chapter and I wonder if I didn't go through or if they're tired of my story.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
"...it! ...Bit! ...Bit are you listening?!" . 

Bit: "What? ...Who's there...? .  


"Bit you jerk, get up already! Don't make me come in there!" . 

Bit: "Who are...wait...I know that voice. Leena...?" . 

Chapter 8: Lost in memory  
  
Leena stormed into Bit's room in her battle clothes with an angry look on her face. Leena: "Bit you lazy bum! We have practice today, remember?!" Bit lazily sat up on his bed and yawned. Bit: "Why today? I just got back from my trip alright?" Leena: "No it is not alright! Now don't get me wrong I'm glad you got us into Class S, but that only gives you so much extra room to squirm around." Leena held her fist to her eye leaving a little space between her thumb and index finger gesturing how much extra tolerance she intended to give Bit. Leena: "Now stop goofing around and get ready! We don't have all day you know!" Bit: "Sheesh, would it kill you to be a little nicer to me?" Leena: "How can I be? You drive me crazy!" Leena left Bit's room and as soon as the electronic door closed she spoke to softly herself in a quiet affectionate voice. Leena: "You drive me crazy..."  
  
Bit stared at his door as it closed and sighed. Bit: "Man this stinks. Is it me or has she been on the war-path lately. Oh well. Liger and I could use some practice after our long trip. I guess some practice couldn't hurt." Bit quickly got up and grabbed his clothes and began to put them on over his boxers and undershirt which he had worn to bed.  
  
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Bit walked into the control center of the Hover Cargo munching on a donut. Bit: "Hey Doc!" Dr. Tauros turned around to face Bit. Dr. Tauros: "Good morning Bit, I see Leena woke you up. Speaking of Leena, isn't that one of her donuts?" Bit shoved the last piece of it into his mouth. Bit: "Yeah well it serves her right for being such a grouch and stealing the last of my cookies yesterday. Is it me or has she been crankier than usual?" Dr. Tauros: "Don't worry about her. You know she's had these fits before and she always goes back to normal eventually. Now that you mention it though this last spell seems to be lasting longer and is more violent than any other." Bit: "Maybe she's on her period." Dr. Tauros: "Naw I doubt that's it. I am surprised you'd risk invoking her wraith at a time like this." Bit: "Please! She got an enormous basket of them. I don't think she'll miss a few." Leena: "BIT CLOUD!!!" Dr. Tauros: "Or maybe she will." Bit: (worried voice) "Doc, please tell me there's a back way out of here you've never bothered to mention!" Leena: "There you are!" Bit: "AHHHHHH!!!" Bit quickly ran around the control deck of the Hover Cargo with Leena on his tail and then ran back out the door.  
  
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Brad: "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" Jamie: "HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Bit: (sarcastic voice) "Yeah it's real funny guys. Go on just keep laughing at my pain." Bit had been forced to bandage several parts of his body including half his face, except for his eye, because of the brutal beating Leena had given him. Jamie: (stifling his laughter as he spoke) "Well it serves you right for stealing Leena's donuts." Bit: "I only took two and she stole the last of my cookies I brought back from my trip! I can't get those anywhere around here!" Brad: "Thought even you would've known better than to mess with Leena when she's already in a bad mood so it does serve you right. Now stop complaining and get in your zoid I've got other things to do than to hang around here with you guys all day." Bit: "Another date with Naomi?" Brad: "None of your business." They all looked to the side as the sound of foot steps echoing in the hanger came closer. Leena: "Well if isn't the thieving mummy himself." Bit: "Shut up." Leena: "Well now we're even for you stealing my donuts." Bit: "Even?! You stole my cookies! They don't make those in this country!" Leena: "Oh c'mon I've seen those in a bunch of places." Bit: "Yeah and they're all over-priced and taste terrible compared to the ones I brought back!" Leena: "I know those were delicious." Leena let out her trade mark giggle while Bit's face was turning as red as his jacket and the vain on his forehead was beginning to look very scary as it bulged.  
  
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Liger Zero ran across the plains against a sunset wearing it's Basic Zero armor and the way the light hit it was beautiful. Bit: "Glad that's over. I knew we're still just as good as ever but it didn't hurt to check. I still can't figure out what's up with Leena. She's been really angry ever since I got back. I wasn't expecting her to run up and hug me or anything like that but she could at least be a little nicer don't ya think Liger?" The Liger let out a roar in response to Bit's question. Bit: "Yeah I thought so." The Liger roared once again. Bit: "Well of course she likes me we are friends after all even if she does beat me up." The Liger roared again. Bit: "What?! Come on Liger! If she felt that way about me then why does she go out of her way to torment me?" Liger responded. Bit: "C'mon Liger. That you hurt the ones you love thing probably doesn't apply to trying to kill that person and Leena's tried that more than a few times." Liger roared again. Bit: "Look I don't want to talk about this anymore so let's just enjoy our run, okay?"  
  
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Leena: "You're up already? What are doing? You didn't get up this early to steal more of my food did you?" It was 7 a.m. and Bit was busy working on Liger. Which was unusual since Bit normally woke up at nine at the earliest if he didn't have a reason. Bit: "I'm working on Liger. The alignment is off in a few places and I've got sand, dirt, pieces of plants and God only knows what else to clean out of it from my trip besides my wounds from yesterday haven't healed yet so I'm not gonna risk more injury." Bit wasn't wearing his bandages anymore and the swelling had reduced. Leena: "Good because I'm keeping count of my snacks and if any of them are missing you're going to get it!" Bit: "If I didn't know better I'd swear you like beating me up." Leena: "I don't LIKE beating you up I just have to teach you a lesson." Bit: "And who gave you that authority?" Harry: "She doesn't need permission as far as I'm concerned!" At that moment Harry Champ came walking up to Leena who had been standing next to Liger watching Bit work on it's back leg. Leena: "Not that I didn't appreciate your support but what are you doing here?" Bit: "We gotta start closing the hanger doors when no one's using em." Harry: "Ha! Those flimsy sheets of steel could not stop my love!" Leena: "Harry answer my question, what are you doing here?!" Harry: "Of course my love. Now I have some news that could upset you very much my dear so you had better brace yourself." Leena: "What are you now forbidden to fight us and hand over piles of money after we win?" Harry: "Good to see your sense of humor my dear but that's not it. My father has fallen ill and my family has requested that I leave immediately for home. I may never see you again." With that Harry grabbed Leena's hands, much to her discomfort, and continued to speak. Harry: "I don't know if I could bare this so I have come to ask you to please come with me." Leena: "Harry look I don't-" Harry stopped her got down on one knee and pulled out a small jewelry box. Harry: "Leena Tauros. I ask you to be my queen." The diamond on the gold engagement ring was huge. It wasn't the same ring Harry had planned on giving her at the Royal Cup this one was much more expensive.  
  
Bit looked down from Liger's leg at them partly in shock. Honestly this didn't surprise him. He had expected this to a degree but for some reason he was stunned. Bit was curious to how Leena would answer. Leena stared at the large diamond on the very ornately decorated ring and couldn't help but think about accepting. This however died quickly. Leena lightly shook her head and closed the small box still in Harry's hand. Leena: "Sorry Harry. I thought I made this clear but I really don't feel the same way about you as you feel about me and I don't think I ever will." Harry had a look of horror and surprise on his face. He was certain she would say yes despite having nothing to back it up on.  
  
Harry: "But...but...why?" Harry rose and his mouth hung open for a second before he closed his eyes gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Harry: "You!" Harry spun around to face Bit and he pointed his finger at Bit. Harry had an "I'm gonna kill you" look on his face as he stared at Bit. Harry: "You did this! This is all your fault!" Bit: "My fault?! Look Harry, I've been saying this from day one I don't think of Leena as anything but a friend and considering how she beats me up on a regular basis it's hard enough to consider her that!" Harry: Don't you play innocent!" Harry's voice had taken on an acidic toxic quality at that moment. Harry: "I have eyes! I saw the way Leena acted while you were gone! She said she wasn't depressed just bored but I knew she was and it was because of you!" Leena looked at Harry with surprise on her face and she backed up a few steps slightly turning red from what Harry had just said about her. Harry: "I'll kill you!!!" Harry Lunged at Bit knocking him off Liger and the two wrestled on the ground. Despite Bit being in better shape Harry's rage made him harder to stop. Finally they rolled into some empty oil drums and separated. Harry lunged at Bit again but this time he was ready. Bit used Harry's force to throw him back wards back into more drums. Harry quickly got up and began attacking Bit; blindly swiping at him trying to knock him down. Bit managed to dodge every blow however all this jumping around was starting to reopen his wounds from the day before. Leena: 'Oh no! Harry looks mad enough to kill him and it looks like the injuries I gave him yesterday are slowing him down!' Leena had a look of horror on her face and her hands over her mouth as she watched.  
  
Harry was starting to get the upper hand. As Bit gripped both of Harry's wrists he was pushing against him and Bit was beginning to falter. Bit: 'Damn it! I can't believe this! I'm going to be killed by Harry Champ! Man, something that embarrassing will end up on my tombstone!' Harry was grinning an evil grin that anyone would have thought was impossible from Harry. He began to cackle lowly as he pushed Bit back. He expected him to fall at any minute when he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head. Harry fell to the ground with his hands on the back of his neck. A large heavy adjustable wrench had hit him and Leena was the one who threw it. Leena: "Sorry Harry. Bit and I are just friends but beating him up is my job not yours." Harry tried to get up but was picked up off the ground by the Liger's huge mouth. The Liger had had enough of watching his pilot be treated like that. Harry was hanging by his jacket flailing around trying to get free. Harry: "Let go of me you overgrown housecat!!!" Liger did as he was asked after taking Harry outside and tossing him against the Whale King he had brought. Sebastian: "Oh my! Harry are you all right?!" Benjamin: "How could you act like that?"  
  
Bit stood up straight and brushed himself off. He quickly clutched his left shoulder. That was where Leena had hit him with a heavy object the day before. Leena: "You okay?" Bit: "I reopened some wounds from yesterday but I'm fine. Thanks for helping me I didn't know you cared." Leena: "Well don't read too much into it. It just looked like you were in trouble and although you did deserve that beating I gave you yesterday you were going to lose because of the injuries I gave you so I figured I owed you." Bit: "Whatever. Thanks again. I'm going back to my room to lie down for a little while." With that Bit walked away and Liger returned to it's original position while Sebastian and Benjamin carried an unconscious Harry onto the Whale King. As soon as Bit left Leena let out a sigh of relief and stood there for a minute.  
  
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Jamie: "Um Doc..." Dr. Tauros: "Yes Jamie?" Jamie: "Not that everyone doesn't appreciate you taking us on a quick vacation to the mountains before our first Class S season but I gotta know. What's the catch?" Jamie was seated at his usual position in the Hover Cargo looking back at Dr. Tauros who was in his usual spot. Dr. Tauros: "Catch? There's no catch. What would make you think that?" Jamie: "It's just not like you that's all." Dr. Tauros: "What do you mean it's not like me, I'm one of the most generous men alive. Besides after what happened I can't risk Harry coming back and killing Bit he is our star pilot but don't tell him I said that he'll demand a bigger cut of the prize money." Jamie: sigh "It figures you had another motive."  
  
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The mountain resort was small but there was plenty to do. Jamie, Brad, Bit and Dr. Tauros were skiing down the slopes racing each other. Well Bit, Jamie and Brad were racing each other Doc kept falling down about every five minutes. Leena was by herself sunbathing by the pool. It was only cold enough for snow at the top of the mountain so where Leena was it was very warm. She let out a sigh somewhere between relaxed and bored. Leena: 'Damn it. I thought coming up here would help me relax and get my mind off Bit. Then again I thought the same thing when he went on his vacation but that just made me worry. He makes me so mad. I can't keep this up forever and I can't get my mind off him.' "AHH!!!" Bit had just gotten back from skiing and thrown a bucket of snow he had brought back on Leena. As Leena jumped around in her bathing suit brushing off the snow Bit was laughing so hard he was clutching his sides and bending over. Leena: "Cold! Cold! Bit Cloud how dare you?!" Bit: "Sorry couldn't resist!" Bit was still laughing as he spoke and Leena was getting really mad. Leena: "Bit!!!" Bit stopped laughing and realized he'd forgotten the second part of his plan which was to run away as fast as possible before Leena recovered from shock. He stood there frozen with terror before quickly getting his head back. He turned around and ran as fast as his legs would carry him which, fortunately, was just ahead of Leena. Bit: "Ahhhhhhh!!!" 'If I get back up to the slopes maybe the cold will stop her. That's only a few miles ahead considering the only other thing I can do is stop it's a good plan!'  
  
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Jamie, Bit, Brad, Dr. Tauros and Leena, who had a blanket around her to warm her up from chasing Bit around in the snow, were all in front a fireplace in the entrance hall of the resort where many guests hung out on the many couches and three different fireplaces. Jamie: "Wow, I'm amazed you managed to run all the way up to the slopes, that's got to be about seven or eight miles." Brad: "I'm more amazed that Leena kept chasing him for thirty minutes once they got up there." Dr. Tauros: "I'm amazed that Bit actually managed to get away for once. That almost never happens." Leena: (Sarcastic voice) "Yeah we're real impressed you got away with that childish prank Bit!" Bit: "Hey I carried you back when you couldn't run anymore." Leena: "Don't remind me! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was?!" 'Or how sweet?' Bit: "Hey I didn't have to help you out I did it out of the kindness of my heart and it was embarrassed for me too. At least you couldn't here people whispering to each other along the way." Leena: "How could you here them if they whispered?!" Bit: "I didn't here everything but I caught the jist of most of it." Leena just sat there and stared daggers at Bit.  
  
10 a.m. in the morning and Bit had just left the Hover Cargo. He had slept in it after staying up late finishing cleaning Liger. Leena: "Bit!" Leena ran up wearing black pants, snow boots and a purple sweater. Bit: "Hey, feeling better?" Leena: "Much." Bit: "Hey what's with the sweater and stuff. You going skiing or something?" Leena: "No, I just wanted to make sure you couldn't pull the same stunt you pulled on me yesterday to get away." Bit: "What are you... oh no you're not!" Leena: "Start running." Bit: "NOT AGAIN!!!" Bit took off like and shot with Leena right on his heels. Leena: "Good thing for you I'm a good sport or else I would've beaten you up after you got up!"  
  
Jamie Doc and Brad were eating breakfast one of the balconies of the resort when Bit and Leena went zooming by below. Jamie: "Looks like Leena couldn't let this rest." Brad: "And this time she's prepared." Dr. Tauros: "Oh darn. I wish Bit would make an attempt to run faster. He hardly shows up on my graph." Jamie and Brad: "Your graph?" Dr. Tauros: "Sure, here have a look." The Doc grabbed a laptop that was at his feet, turned it on and punched up a purple circle. Dr. Tauros: "Now this purple and red circle represents-" Jamie: "Doc that's just a purple circle." Dr. Tauros: "No. if you look closely you can see some red here." Sure enough there was a small sliver of red on the circle. Brad: "Don't tell me. The purple area represents the number of times Leena has caught Bit and the red represents how many times he's gotten away." Dr. Tauros: "That's right." Jamie: "You're strange, Doc."  
  
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Bit ran as fast as he could. He had already cleared the grassy area around the resort and was no in the rockier area. He hoped that Leena wouldn't be able to catch him if she had to run through a bunch of rocky terrain. Bit: 'Damn it! She's not that big so where does she get the energy to chase me like this! Oh well on the bright side I won't have to worry about getting fat doing this much exercise' Leena: "You can run...but you can't...hide Bit!" Bit: 'Good it looks like she's running out of breath.' Bit ran straight for a cave ahead at top speed. He didn't have much choice considering he would be boxed in otherwise and there were a lot of heavy rocks for Leena to throw. Leena: "Just make this easy on the both of us and stop!" Leena quickly ran in after Bit both of them completely missing the DANGER KEEP OUT sign just outside the cave.  
  
Bit: "Pant pant pant maybe coming in here...wasn't...such a...good idea!" Leena was a good few feet behind him but as long as she could see him he was in trouble so he could only keep running as the cave around the both of them began to open wider and wider. As Bit's left foot hit a cracked section of rock it sank a little. Bit: 'That can't be good!' Leena quickly came darting after him. Leena: "I've got you now you jerk!" As Leena's right foot landed where the ground had sunk a second ago the floor of the cave began to crumble. Leena: "What's going on?! Ahhh!!!" Bit: "Leena!" Bit quickly turned around and ran back trying to get to her in time. The world around them seemed to slow down around them as Bit sprinted towards Leena and the ground cracked and gave way. Leena began to fall through the hole that had appeared and though Bit succeeded in grabbing Leena's hand he was pulled him down with her.  
  
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Leena came too about thirty minutes after she and Bit had fallen down the hole that appeared. Leena: "Ughn. Ow my head... huh?" Leena looked around and noticed the ground she was on seemed to be moving. Bit: "Uh Leena. Do you think you could get off of me?" Leena looked down and she immediately began to blush as she realized she had landed on top of Bit. Leena quickly got off of Bit's chest and moved away. Leena: "Sorry!" Bit: "No problem. This isn't nearly as bad as some of your beatings." Bit started to sit, wincing in pain a few times before rising to his feet. Leena: "You okay?" Bit: "I've had worse. How bout' you?" Leena: "My head hurts a little and I'm sore on a few places but I'm fine." Both Bit and Leena began turning their heads, inspecting their surroundings. Leena: "Any idea where we are?" Bit: "Leena, I don't know about you but this is my first time here, so no." Leena: "Looks like we fell pretty far. I'm amazed we survived." Bit: "I'm amazed I survived you had me to break your fall remember. I just can't figure out how I ended up under you." Leena: "Err... I think that might have been my fault but I don't remember." Bit: "Really? Well no use staying around here." Bit began to walk down one of the five tunnels that surrounded them. Leena: "Hey wait! Where are you going?!" Bit: "I don't know about you but I'm getting out of here. No one knows we came here and it could be weeks before they find us and I didn't bring any food." Leena: "Can't we climb out?!" Bit: "And how would we do that? Even if one of us got on the other's shoulder's we still couldn't reach the hole we fell through besides it looks to steep to climb." Leena: "But it's dark down there!" sure enough the only light was coming from above them through the gapping hole in the ceiling. Bit: "What's a matter? You scared of the dark?" Leena: "No! I just worry about what's down there. We won't be able to see!" Bit pulled out a red metal flashlight from a bag that hung around his waist. He had added this bag to his regular clothes a few months before. click the flashlight turned on. Bit: "Anymore complaints?" Leena: "Wow that thing still works?" Bit: "Hey this brand of flash light could have an eighteen wheeler run over it and still work." Bit turned around and began walking through the passage. Leena: "Hey wait for me!" She quickly ran after him.  
  
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Leena: "We've been walking around for hours! We're just going in circles!" Bit led the way through the dark tunnels with his flashlight with a hunched over Leena trailing close behind him. Bit: "So you want to just stop and risk starving to death? Nice idea." Leena: "I'M just upset that we're stuck down here I never said we should stop!" Bit: "Do you think you could not yell? It's not helping and probably wasting a lot of your energy. By the way we're not going in circles." Leena: "Oh yeah! Well then why is one of your trail markers right in front of us?!" Bit had been creating marks in the dirt and leaving rock formations to keep track of were they had and hadn't been. Bit: "So this tunnels a bust, so what? There's plenty more tunnels to check." Leena: "Grrrr...! This is your fault!!!" Bit stopped and turned around. Bit: "My fault?! You're the one who was chasing me!" Leena: "I wouldn't have chased you if you hadn't dumped snow on me yesterday!" Bit: "And I wouldn't have done that if you had just been nicer to me! You started this whole thing by stealing my cookie! You got no right to complain!" Leena: "Who cares about those stupid cookies you brought back they were going stale anyway!" Bit: "Not those! I mean the giant one you stole! That was mine! Did you think I wouldn't try and get you back?!?!" Leena: "Damn it this is why I have to beat you up all the time! You're so arrogant and stuck up someone has to take you down a peg!!!" Bit: "I had enough beatings as a kid, do think I wanted more?!?!?!" Bit suddenly dropped his flashlight and slapped his hands over his mouth, mentally kicking himself for saying that out loud. Leena: "...wha...what did you say?" At that moment Leena's face expressed an overwhelming guilt that had suddenly washed over her. Leena: "Bit...were you...?" Bit quickly grabbed the flashlight off the ground and continued walking. Leena: "Bit, wait!" Bit: "I don't want to talk about it!"  
  
Leena: "Bit, c'mon!" Bit: "Leave me alone!" Bit began to run. He just wanted to be alone. Leena chased after him at full speed more concerned about Bit than getting lost. Bit: 'Stupid stupid STUPID!!! How could you have said that out loud?!?! You promised that no one else would ever know!!!' Bit suddenly stopped. Leena slowed down and walked up to him. Leena: "Bit...?" Bit: "My father was a respected businessman. He had his own company and was well on his way to becoming incredibly wealthy and my mom and I were coming along for the ride. He was killed in a car crash when I was five and the family business went down the tube. My mom tried her best to earn a living but for a single person like my mom who wasn't used to having to bounce back from things that big it wasn't very easy. She kept ending up with useless jerks. Many of them were drinkers and were violent. They took it out on me. Whenever my mom found out about this she quickly left that person and we had to leave town to avoid being pursued. She finally married this one ass who hurt me worse than the others but he was better at keeping it a secret. When I was eleven my mom died of cancer and I was by myself with that jerk. When I was thirteen I received a letter from one of my dad's old business partners. The letter had a key and a piece of paper with a number on it. It turned out my old man had left me a lot of money that was in a trust fund. He had died before ever telling my mom about it. He created it the day he died. I used the money to buy this old white Shield Liger left and never looked back." Leena stood looking at him for a moment before saying anything. Leena: "I...I had no idea..." Bit: "No one did. I didn't want anyone to know." Leena: "Bit. I'm sorry..." Bit: "Don't tell anyone about it. I don't want some pity treatment from everyone with a heart. That's why I never said anything."  
  
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Neither Bit nor Leena said anything for nearly an hour. They continued to walk through tunnel after tunnel continuing on to find a way out. The whole time Bit kept looking back at Leena. Bit: 'Why can't I stop looking at her?' The two continued through the dark passageways periodically coming across the room they fell into. Leena: 'I can't believe Bit was abused as a child. What I really can't stand is how I've been taking out my frustration on him.' They kept walking for nearly another two hours with not one word exchanged between them the only sound that could be heard was the sound of their footsteps. The silence was finally broken by Leena. Leena: "Hey look!" There was a light at the end of the tunnel and it was a bright orange light not that of the light that came down from the hole they had fell through but one that could only be daylight. Both of them raced towards the end of the tunnel.  
  
They came out on one of the sides of the mountain the sun could be seen setting across the mountain ranges spreading a beautiful glowing light across them. Bit: "We were in there awhile, the sun's setting." Leena walked forward slowly and stopped at Bit's side mesmerized by the sight of the sun light against the snowcapped mountains. Leena: "It's beautiful..." Bit would never come to understand what happened or why he did what he did at that moment but he did it all the same. He quickly leaned over and kissed Leena right on the lips. Leena was taken back at first and struggled a little before noticing how much she was enjoying it. The two embraced each other as they shared a long passionate kiss. It lasted for nearly five minutes before they reluctantly and slowly pulled apart. Leena: "Does this mean you love me?" Bit: "I guess. What about you?" Leena: "I have practically since I met you." Bit: "Then why did you beat me up?" Leena: "A lousy way of venting my frustration." Bit: "I think we might want to keep this to ourselves awhile. I'm not sure the others would approve." Leena: "I think you're right. It's gonna be hard pretending to be mad at you though." The looked each other in the eyes and started kissing again.  
  
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Dr. Layon was busy eating his cup of noodles watching the exhausted Bit Cloud rest. Layon: "Hmm...he's smiling in his sleep. Must be having a real good dream. I don't think Bit has actually smiled out of being happy in a long time. Maybe he'll tell me when he wakes up." Layon went back to slurping his noodles and left the room intending to come back in an hour. As Dr. Layon left Bit stirred in his sleep. Bit: "...Leena..."  
  
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S.D. Well I hope you enjoyed that. For all of you who didn't like that don't worry I'm going through Bit's memories right now and I should end with chapter 10 or 11. Knuckles: Just bear with us until then okay. S.D. Anyway this is Steam Detective. Knuckles: And Knuckles. S.D. and Knuckles: Signing out. 


	9. Joy, Sorrow and Anger

S.D. Hey everyone. Nice to see you! Knuckles: What are you talking about? You can't see them! S.D. I know but I figured I'd say it anyway. Well I got nothing else to say so let's start the story. Knuckles: Can't you cut to the story every time? S.D. No.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 9: Joy, Sorrow and Anger  
  
Leon Brad and Jamie all sat in Bit's room watching the exhausted warrior rest. Leon: "He's been out for a day now." Brad: "I'm not surprised." Jamie: "Hey why isn't John here?" Leon: "Family matters. He's concerned about his family and besides I think it's going to take him a few hours to talk Yuna into letting him leave." Brad: "Why's that?" Leon: "You need to spend more time with your friends Brad. I don't know the details but from what I gathered Yuna didn't lead a very happy life before meeting John and with everything that's going on she's probably getting more and more worried." Jamie: "So how much longer do you think it will take Bit to come to?" Leon: "Hopefully in a few more hours." Brad: "With Fire Wind knowing that Bit is in bad shape they're probably trying as hard as they can to find him." All of them gave a worried glance at Bit who was sleeping soundly and from time to time seemed to smile.  
  
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Bit: "You're sure about this, Jamie?" Jamie was climbing into his Raynos ready to leave. He had packed all of his stuff into it and was going on a long trip. Jamie: "I'm sure Bit. I have to do this." Leena: "How do you know you'll find out anything?" Jamie: "I don't. Hopefully my dad will know something about this. If not I need some time to look inside myself and find out what's wrong and why I have this lousy split personality." Dr. Tauros: "Well Jamie we wish you the best of luck. Things around here aren't going to be the same." Brad: "Yeah now Doc's gonna make us do the cleaning." Jamie: "I'm sure you'll survive Brad. I have to go though. It keeps getting worse I'm starting to change into the Wild Eagle outside of battle and it's starting to worry me. What's worse is it's even getting kind of violent I can't risk losing control anymore." Bit: "If you have to do this Jamie, then good luck. You're smart so you'll figure it out." Jamie: "Thanks Bit. Bye guys!" Leena: "Goodbye!" Bit: "See ya!" Brad: "Bye." Dr. Tauros: "Good luck!" The Raynos took off and left the hanger and that was the last that most of them would see of him for the next fourteen years.  
  
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With both their hands on the knife Brad and Naomi cut their wedding cake. It was a beautiful day and a happy one too. Not too many people had gathered for the wedding mostly zoid warriors. Brad and Naomi didn't have any family to invite only some friends. Bit and Leena stood back watching with the rest of the small group with Dr, Tauros standing behind them. Bit wore a tux with no tie and Leena wore a purple dress. Bit had had the honor of being Brad's best man and, despite their rivalry, Leena had been a bride's maid. Bit: "I don't think I've ever seen Brad smile like that before." Leena: "Me neither." Dr. Tauros: "Well what did you expect? This is a happy day." Bit: "How so? We just lost another team member." A sudden look of horror appeared on the doc's face as this came to his attention. Dr. Tauros: "You're right. We just lost another team member." Leon: "Don't worry Dad I'd be happy to come back and help you guys." Leon had been standing next to them and he too was wearing a tux. Leena: "Really Leon? But what about Brad and Naomi?" Leon: "Don't worry sis. In that team three is a crowd. Besides you guys need my help more than they do." Bit: "Dang it this just keeps getting worse." Leon: "What's wrong?" Bit: "Now we can't fight each other in official battles anymore." Leon: "Ha ha! Well some sacrifices must be made Bit."  
  
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Bit and Leena: "You're what?!" Dr. Tauros: "Leon and I have left for a registry in an upcoming tournament. It takes a while to get there so we'll be gone for a few days." The doc was talking to them through the video phone. Bit: "And you couldn't take us with you why?!" Dr. Tauros: "Because someone needs to stay behind and guard the base, why else?" Leena: "Couldn't one of us stay and the other go with you?!" Dr. Tauros: "Can't." Bit: "Why not?!" Dr. Tauros: "Didn't I mention Leon and I left early this morning. We're already miles away from the base and it would take too much time to turn around and go back." Bit and Leena: "What?!" Bit: "You did this on purpose!" Dr. Tauros: "Don't be silly. And even if I did this is a perfect time for you two to sort out your problems." Leena: "But Dad!" Dr. Tauros: "No buts. See you in three days." The video screen turned off.  
  
Leon: "You sure it was a good idea to leave those two alone. One of them might not be alive when we come back ya know." Dr. Tauros: "Don't worry Leon. I'm sure they'll be fine. If my little experiment works they'll get through all their problems with each other." Leon: "And if it doesn't?" Dr. Tauros: "We'll start looking for a replacement for Bit on Monday."  
  
Leena: "Nice acting I think they bought it." Bit: "Thanks. You weren't so bad yourself." Leena walked out of the briefing room while Bit stayed in looking at the controls for a second making sure everything was locked. Bit: "So we're here by ourselves for three days. What do you want to do?" At that moment Leena's shirt landed at Bit's feet. He looked at it and smiled. Bit: "Your room or mine?"  
  
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It had been about six weeks since Doc and Leon got back and Bit was in the hanger on Liger's back tightening some bolts and fixing some wires. Bit: "Alright Liger I'll admit it, you were right about Leena's feelings for me now stop gloating already." The Liger roared and chuckled a little at this victory. Leena: "Um...Bit!" Bit looked to down to see Leena standing next to the Liger. Bit: "Hey Leena! What's up?" Leena: "I...um have something important to tell you." Bit: "Can this wait? I'm kinda in the middle of something." Leena: "Sorry but this can't wait." Bit jumped down off Liger and walked up to Leena. Bit: "Well?" Leena took a few steps closer and whispered something in his ear.  
  
It was a beautiful quiet day. The sun was shining there wasn't a cloud in the sky and for a desert it was very beautiful. The silence, however, was soon interrupted. Bit: "YOU'RE WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?" It was heard from miles around.  
  
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At the reception for Bit and Leena's wedding everyone was there, people whom neither of them knew had come for this to see the now famous Bit Cloud get married. Leon: "I still can't believe those two are together." Dr. Tauros: "I'm not, if you must know that idea of leaving them together was for this purpose but it seems they had already found each other before then." Leon: "Well your efforts weren't wasted, Dad, if you hadn't done that Bit wouldn't have gotten Leena pregnant and we wouldn't be watching this for a few more years." Bit: "Hey guys. Watcha talking about?" Leon: "Nothing. Just talking about how surprising this was for us." Dr. Tauros: "For you, you mean." Layon: "Tauros!" Dr. Layon came walking up at that moment. Bit: "What's he doing here?" Leena: "I invited him of course." Bit: "You what?!" Dr. Tauros: "Layon! How good of you to come." Layon: "Yeah well I wouldn't miss this. Leena my dear, how are you?" Leena: "Very happy thank you." Layon: "Glad to hear it and Bit." Bit: "Yeah?" Layon: "You take good care of her or else!" Bit: "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen." Layon: "I'm holding you to that. Leena, do you mind if I speak with you for a second?" Leena: "No of course not."  
  
Leena and Dr. Layon stepped away a few feet. Layon: "So this is what you want?" Leena: "Of course. To tell the truth I've liked Bit almost since I met him." Layon: "What about Harry?" Leena: "What about Harry? I never liked him but he kept insisting we were meant for each other. I thought I spelled it out for him but the message never did get through." Layon: "What about that date you were going to on when I botched it up?" Leena: "I'd been struggling with my feelings for Bit and thought maybe I should try and see if I could learn to like Harry. I don't think it would have worked out though. Harry wanted to pamper me but I didn't want any of it. I may like attention and expensive gifts but that's so hollow and Harry probably couldn't give me what I want in a relationship." Layon: "Okay just making sure and Leena." Leena: "Yes?" Layon: "Thank you." Leena: "For what?" Layon: "Closure. I used to think that your mother and I were meant to be together and I acted around her the way Harry acted around you. Hearing you say that you never felt that Harry could make you happy tells me that your mother probably felt the same way towards me. It hurts but it also feels good to know to see you happy and to know that your mother was probably happy too. So thank you Leena Taur...Cloud." Leena giggled at this. Leena: "You're welcome. Does this mean you can be friends with my dad again?" Layon: "Maybe."  
  
Leena walked back to Bit and Dr. Tauros went to talk to Dr. Layon. Bit: "So what did Dr. Layon want?" Leena: "He just wanted to see if I was really happy with this." Bit: "Are you?" Leena: "What do you think?" Leena leaned on Bit and kissed him. Leon: "Is that who I think it is?!" Bit and Leena: "Huh?" They both turned their heads to who Leon was looking at. Standing a few feet away from them was a man in a white tuxedo with a woman in a dark green dress who had long emerald green hair in two giant pigtails. Leon: "That's John Dragoon. He's one of the most respected warriors in Class S." Leena: "He looks kinda young." Bit: "He is. He's only twenty-two." Leena: "How did you know that?" John: "Hey Bit!" John began to walk toward them while the woman he was with, obviously Yuna, stayed were she was. Bit: "John!" Bit left Leena's side and went to greet John. The two of them bashed forearms and a high five. John: "Good to see ya!" Bit: "You too. I'm glad you came." John: "I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Leena and Leon looked at the two stunned and amazed.  
  
John: "Congratulations man!" Bit: "Thanks! Oh hey come over here and meet my wife." Bit brought John over. Bit: "Leena, this is my old friend John. John this is my wife Leena." John: "Nice to meet you." John shook Leena's hand. Leena: "Uh...yeah same here." Leon: "Wait. You two know each other?" Bit: "Sure. Heck if it wasn't for John here I might not be standing here talking to you guys. John this is my brother-in-law Leon." John: "Hi Leon." Leon: "Um hi." Bit: "Hey John who was that you were with?" John: "Huh? Oh! That's my wife Yuna." Bit: "You're married to?!" John: "Yeah sure. I sent you a postcard." Bit: "I never got it." Dr. Tauros: "Err...this postcard wouldn't happen to have had a picture of a rock formation on it would it?" John looked at Dr. Tauros, who had just finished his conversation with Dr. Layon, with confusion. John: "Well yes it did." Dr. Tauros: "Oops..." Leena: "Oops... what do you mean oops?" The doc had his old lab coat on his arm. He had brought it for one reason or another. He fished around in one of the pockets and pulled out the postcard. Bit stared at it for a second. Bit: "John, how long ago did you send that?" John: "Over a year ago." Bit: "Doc!" John: "Uh...?" Bit: "This is my father-in-law Dr. Steve Tauros." John: "Aah I see."  
  
Bit: "Well that was strange. Hey, John, why don't you introduce us to your wife?" John: "Sure why not?" John signaled for Yuna to come over. John: "Yuna this is my old friend Bit, his wife Leena, his brother-in-law Leon and his father-in-law Dr. Tauros." Yuna: "How do you do?" Bit: "Fine thanks." Leena: "Nice meeting you." Leon: "Hi." Dr. Tauros: "Greetings." Yuna: "So you're Bit. It's nice to meet you. John's mentioned you a few times before. He's told me about the year the two of you spent together." Leena: "The two of you spent a year together? When was this?" Bit: "Long time ago Leena." John: "So what are you two gonna do know?" Bit: "Try and enjoy our honeymoon and get ready for the screaming set of lungs on its way." It had been a few months since Leena had told Bit about her being pregnant and her stomach was starting to bulge a little. John: "Well you two have fun then." Bit: "Thanks I think we will."  
  
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Toby: "Mommy, look!" Little Toby was five years old and practically the spitting image of his father. The only real differences were pale blue eyes and his hair type was more like Leena's. Leena: "I see it sweet heart." Leena was looking at the valley that Toby was begging her to look at. At the moment Leena was holding a small girl with red hair in her arms. The little girl turned her head around to see what her mother and older brother were talking about and smiled at the site. She had hair more similar to Bit's with a small tuft of hair on the front of her head and green eyes. Bit: "Amber sure seems to like the view." Bit walked up to his family after making sure the Hover Cargo wasn't going anywhere without them. Bit wore a red t-shirt with blue jeans, Leena was wearing a long yellow dress. Toby was wearing a light blue shirt with black pants and Amber was wearing pink pajama-like clothes.  
  
Bit: "It sure is nice to go out like this every once and a while don't you think?" Toby: "Yeah!" Amber: "Papa!" Amber stretched out her small hand towards her father. Leena: "I think Amber wants you to hold her." Bit: "Sure why not?" Toby: "Dad, look!" Bit: "I saw it already Toby." Toby: "No look a zoid!" Bit: "Huh? That's strange." Bit gave Amber back to Leena and looked at the Terrace coming towards them. Leena: "Wonder what that's doing out here." Bit looked at it as it approached. Bit: "It looks like it's coming right for us." Bit quickly realized it was and not long after realized it had a machine gun hanging by the cockpit. As the canopy opened the pilot, who was masked, manned the gun. Bit: "Oh my God... Leena! Toby! Get down!" But it was too late. As Bit tried to push them out of the way the masked pilot opened fire hitting Bit in the shoulder. Leena: "Bit!" Leena turned around trying to shield Amber. She was shot three times in the back just below her head and one of the bullets went right through her hitting the two-year-old Amber in the shoulder. Toby: "Momm...y" Before finishing his cry Toby was shot through the head killing him instantly. The five year old hit the ground and blood gushed from his head. Amber was still alive and crying loudly. Bit: "Leena, Toby! NO!!! It's gonna be okay Amber. Don't worry." At that moment the large missile on the back of the Terrace fired at the Hover Cargo reducing it to smoldering ruins. Bit: "NO!!! (under his breath) Damn it. I don't know who the hell you are or why you did this but I swear to God I'll I won't die here and I'll get you if it's the last thing I do." Bit blacked out with the sound of Amber's cries still ringing in his ear.  
  
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Bit woke up in a hospital bed with tubes in his arm and bandages on his right shoulder. Bit: "Were...am I?" A doctor walked in at that moment. Doctor: "Mr. Cloud, you're awake?" Bit: "What happened? Where's my family?!" The doctor looked down at his feet. No matter how many times he told people things like this it only got harder never easier. Doctor: "I'm afraid they're...gone..." Bit looked blankly at him for a minute. Bit: "What...?" Doctor: "Your wife was shot through the chest three times both of her lungs were hit. Your son was shot through the head and was dead long before ambulances arrived. You daughter was hit in the shoulder. She might survive but she'd lost a lot of blood and the odds aren't good." Bit stared in disbelief unable to accept what he had just heard. Bit: "...no...NO!!! DAMN IT!!! WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LEFT ME TO DIE?!?!?!" The doctor left the room to leave Bit to wallow in his misery. Bit kept screaming until he heard the sound of someone panting at the door. Bit stopped yelling and looked over to see John at the door painting as if he just ran all the way there. John: "Hey pant Bit. How's it going?"  
  
John walked over and sat in a chair next to Bit's bed. Bit: "John... what are you doing here?" John: "What happened is on the news and when I saw it I rushed over here as fast as I could." Bit: "Then you know my family is gone?" John: "Yes. What are you gonna do now?" Bit: "Find out who did this and make them pay big." John: "I thought as much. Bit I am prepared to help you." Bit: "What?" John: "I figured you'd want revenge so I decided on the way here I would help." Bit: "You sure?" John: "You can't do this by yourself and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't help a friend when he needed it and you need it." Bit: "Thanks." John: "It's no problem. Get some rest. I'm going to inspect the attack site." John got up and left the room. Bit lied there wondering. Bit: 'What am I going to do now? I guess I really do need John's help. I hate to drag him into this what with his family to look after and all.' Bit sat back in bed and looked at the ceiling deciding to take John's advice to rest and wait for news from him.  
  
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Night had fallen and the hospital was now dark. Bit was sleeping in his hospital bed plagued with nightmares. He kept tossing in bed and had a very disturbed look on his face as he slept. He shot up in bed gasping for breath in a cold sweat. As he got his senses about him Bit felt he wasn't alone. He looked around and in the corner was John. John: "I would have woken you earlier but the way you were thrashing I thought you'd wake up in a minute." Bit: John? What are you doing here?" John: "We're leaving." John grabbed Bit's hand and pulled him out of bed. Bit: "But-" John: "The doctors know you're leaving. Use your good arm to grab your stuff and let's go." Bit: "But why?" John: "I'll explain later now get a move on."  
  
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Bit rode in Light Wing's passenger seat now wearing his old regular clothes. Bit: "This defiantly isn't your old Redler." John: "Nice to see you noticed. I still have it I just don't use it." Bit: "What's with you and dragon type zoids anyway?" John: "What's with you and Ligers?" Bit: "Ri- i-i-i-ght. Never mind. So can you tell me what was so important that you had to drag me out of the hospital? Or at least where we're going." John: "We're going to my place for one thing and for another there are two reasons why I dragged you out. The first I'm not going to say but the second is that I have something to show you."  
  
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Bit and John rode the secret elevator in John's hanger to a lower level. Bit: "Man this place is huge!" John: "What can I say I make a lot of money." Bit: "So what is it you gotta show me?" John: "If you wait another few minutes I won't have to tell you." The elevator stopped at a large room the size of a small hanger. John and Bit walked on the catwalks that the elevator stopped at and approached an area over a dark mass on the floor. Bit: "So what is that? Wait a minute is that...?" The heavily damaged Liger Zero roared hearing the sound of it's pilot's voice. Bit: "LIGER!"  
  
The Liger Zero was in bad shape. It had lost most of the all of the armor on it's left side and most of the armor left was in bad shape. In all it only had it's right head parts, booster and back leg armor. The Liger was on the floor unable to rise to it's feet. Sparks flew as I t tried to get up. Bit: "You wanted to show me my dying zoid?" John: "I wanted to show you that your zoid was still alive. It's not dying Bit though the damage is bad it is repairable." Bit: "Did the Gun Sniper survive?" John: "I'm sorry Bit. I only found pieces of it in the ruins." Bit: "Then why did my Liger survive?" John: "Liger has stronger armor than the Gun Sniper and had the good fortune of being in between that green armor." Bit: "The Zero Panzer?! Well that makes sense." John: "You don't sound too happy." Bit: "I'm not. I've lost my whole family and now my zoid's in a bad fix." John: "I can fix it." Bit retained the disappointed and downtrodden look he had just developed a look that said I give up. John: "Would you like to know who attacked you?" Bit's gaze quickly snapped back to John. John: "It was an organization known as Fire Wind and are a threat to them." Bit: "Why?" John: "Because you were one of the biggest reasons for there last identity collapsing." A look of horror suddenly appeared in Bit's eyes which was quickly then replaced by seething hatred. All of the warm once held in Bit's eyes drained out as he realized who was responsible for the death of his family.  
  
As Bit spoke he had an acidic tone to his voice. Bit: "The BackDraft." John: "That's why they tried to kill you. I had to drag you out of the hospital because you were in danger there. You have no idea how much money I threw away to get the security to turn off the cameras and keep the doctors silence." Bit: "I'll kill them all. For Leena for Toby for Amber and for Liger to. Wait Liger is out of commission." John: "Bit I can rebuild him. Make him faster. Stronger. Better than he was." Bit: "What about armor?" John just stood there looking at Bit and he began to smile.  
  
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The Liger ran into John's hanger and exited stealth mode. John was standing there. It had been months since the attack. John: "So how's the armor?" Bit opened Liger's cockpit. Bit: "The new pulse cannon's good and so are the sound scrubbers. But I think the armor's starting to wear out and I don't think the color works for these jobs. The Liger's armor was white with blue blades the only other color apart from Liger's eyes was the main body which, of course, was still black. John: "Well this is only the prototype and I expected it to wear out and as for the color I figured I'd stick to the Liger's original colors." Layon: "Well that doesn't really work for stealth zoids now does it." Bit: "Huh?!" John: "Who are you?!" Bit: "Dr. Layon?" Layon: "Nice to see you remembered me Bit. I had a hard time tracking you down but now I found you." Bit: "For what?" Layon: "You're trying to avenge Leena's death and I want to help." John: "Layon...didn't you work for the BackDraft?" Layon: "Once but not since the Royal Cup nine years ago." Bit jumped down off Liger. He was now in his new battle uniform. John: "Can we trust this guy?" Bit: "We can." Bit faced Layon. Bit: "So what can you do?" Layon: "As you know I'm a technological genius. I can be of use to you in finding information and helping to fix and improve the Liger." John: "Fair enough. Both of you follow me." John led the two to the secret floor elevator.  
  
After going down a few floors they arrived at a room that was big but not nearly as large as the room Liger was once held in but still big. The room had many thick wires running along the wall all leading to a computer at the end of the room. Layon: "What is that?" John: "The Network Uplink Cyber-intelligent Logic Search System or the N.U.C.L.S.S. program. It's an artificially intelligent hacker program I designed to search for information. With this we can stay one step ahead of Fire Wind." Layon: "Fire Wind?" John: "An organization made up of former BackDraft members. They're the ones that killed Leena and the kids." Bit: "This is impressive but why didn't you tell me about this before?" John: "I only finished it last week. Actually your last few missions have been made possible because of this thing." Layon: "Well what stops them from locking it out? Eventually every hacker program can be stopped." John: "Yeah but this thing by all rights shouldn't exist for another few decades at the least so any and all ways to stop it will take just as long to appear." Bit: "Great. Now about the Liger's armor." John: "Right. Please follow me." They went back to the elevator going to the floor that once housed the Liger.  
  
When they arrived another set of Liger's new armor hung from the ceiling. John: "This is the secondary, or beta armor, for Liger. I used new metals that I found the processes for making and I'm still trying to get it just right so I felt a second set of armor would be necessary." Layon: "New metals?" John: "The first I named oricalcum after a legendary mythic metal. It's the strongest metal I've ever seen and it's very light compared to steel. The second is a rare metal that occurs naturally that I've named star light metal. Bit: "Star light?" John: "When light was shown on it the metal sparkled like stars. That metal is also very strong and conducts and amplifies energy so it was perfect for the blades. I've been looking over the data I've gotten from Liger about it's new armor and I think I've fired out all of the bugs all that's left is a new paint job." Bit: "How about we color it black like the Shadow Fox." John: "The Shadow Fox...that's a good idea." Layon: "I was proud of the paint job myself when I designed it." John: "You made it? This works in our advantage. Fine we'll paint it like the Shadow Fox. Making the blades yellow will be no problem. The police are bound to suspect that you're not working alone, Bit, and should it be discovered that Dr. Layon's helping you no one will bother to look further. This works out perfect." Bit looked at the armor and smiled. Bit: 'I will get them. None will escape me.'  
  
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Bit began to open his eyes. He looked around and he was in his room on the Whale King. John, Jamie, Leon and Brad were all there it looked as if they had all fallen asleep. Bit: "Damn it. Why'd I have ta wake up?" Hearing this John roused from slumber. John: "Huh? Bit you're awake." This woke the others to. Bit: "I guess this means you told them about what's going on." John: "Sorry Bit but after what happened they would have found out eventually." Bit: "The fight with Harry?" Brad: "The invasion of the base after we brought you there." Bit: "You were attacked while I was out? Hey how long was I out for?" Jamie: "More than two days." Bit: "Now we're all in the same boat." Leon: "Yeah but we'll get through this." Bit: "Leon I've been fighting for six years and I've only done so much. How will you guys make a difference?" John: "They won't. They enemy will come out of hiding soon." Bit: "How do you know that?" John: "Think about it. They've fully come to grips that they can't evade you so they're taking more drastic action. Calling in the Guardian Force, making deals with the police and army, giving specific pilots in the police special zoids. They're running out of options. If they continue to stay in the shadows you'll drive them bankrupt so they'll have to step out into the light soon and then we can expose them. The ZBC won't stand for the return of the dark battles and they'll take decisive action. Besides when they do this I can finally locate their headquarters. They've kept it's data off all computers once they suspected they were being hacked and cut off all communication from that point. Forcing them out of hiding has been imperative so with them finally getting ready to show themselves we need all the pilots we can get." Bit: "So it will end soon?" John: "Hopefully." Bit: "Good."  
  
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Man in Suit: "This way Mr. Hawkings." Ted was in his full police uniform walking with the man who had introduced him and his other colleges their new zoids. Ted: "Why are you guys doin' this anyway? I mean I blew it last time." Man in Suit: "Don't worry about that. We feel it was our fault to. We didn't bother to give you time to train with your zoids and we just sent you off." Ted: "Well how do you know it won't happen again?" Man in Suit: "Because the zoid we want you to pilot is very rare and one of a kind. Mr. Cloud won't stand a chance against it." They entered a dark room with a zoid in it that could not be made out due to the darkness. Ted: "This...this is...!" Green eyes could be seen glowing in the dark. Man in Suit: "We made it through reverse engineering. It was quite a chore to make and it is very strong. It is designed to tap into it's pilots emotions and harness and with your feeling of resentment to Bit Cloud you should do well piloting it. The purpose of it's creation is to destroy the Liger Zero and all we need now is a pilot so tell me, do you want it?" Ted grinned an almost evil grin looking at the zoid. Ted: 'With this I'll finally bring that bastard down.' "I'll do it."  
  
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S.D. Well this doesn't bode well for Bit and the others. Knuckles: Looks like they're in trouble. S.D. Of course they are. Will Fire Wind reveal themselves, will Bit stop them, and what of Officer Hawkings and this mystery zoid. Tune in next time same bat channel same bat place. Knuckles: No more Batman jokes. 


	10. Hired Guns

S.D. Ahoy me hardies! This be Steam Detective! Knuckles: What's with the pirate thing? S.D. I needed something to open on. Anyway thank you all for reviewing I've been worrying about the quality of these last few chapters. Knuckles: So thanks for reassuring the big guy here. S.D. By the way please, please, please never ever say hope you don't get writers block. The reason I didn't have this out on Sunday night is because I had major writers block on this last chapter. I know you mean well and this wasn't anything huge. Knuckles: I thought you didn't finish this on Sunday because you had a lot of homework to do over the weekend. S.D. That contributed to it. Well enjoy the chapter. Knuckles: And for all of you who are reading this and aren't bothering to say anything please for crying out loud review. S.D. No one likes a beggar, Knuckles.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 10: Hired Guns  
  
John sat next to the Liger in the hanger of the Whale King working on a laptop. It had been nearly five weeks since the setup and the fight with Harry and things were getting as normal as they usually got. Bit walked in wearing sweat pants and a tank top. He was sweating very hard. Bit: "Don't you ever go home anymore?" John: "When I have to." Bit: "Take it from me. Enjoy time with your family you may not be able to later." John: "Right now, Bit, I'm more concerned with making sure they have a safe future. I'd like to be with them but this is important. Yuna understands even if she doesn't like it. The only thing bothering me is the thought that when Peter and Eureka grow up they'll resent me for neglecting them now." Bit: "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you." John: "By the way, you feeling better?" Bit: "Well enough to work out again." John: "Good to hear. How's Layon's analysis and recovery of the data coming?" Bit: "You mean the stuff I got on that night they sent out all those convoys? Not even half done." John: "He's been working on it for weeks and he's still not finished?" Bit: "There's a lot to go through and a lot of junk data. Maybe you should have N.U.C.L.S.S. work on it." John: "Bit, I don't think there's enough data to take my computer off search duty to look through it. Layon can sort it out himself." Bit: "Follow me." John: "Huh?" Bit began to walk away. John closed his laptop put it on the floor and followed.  
  
They came to a closet in the Whale King. Bit opened it revealing boxes and boxes of floppy discs, CDs and computer chips. John: "Holy son of a...!" Bit: "This is all of the data materials I took from those convoys that night and I didn't get all of it and a lot of the stuff is damaged." John: "...okay maybe I will try and help. After all, this data is important. The information we've been collecting is enough to put everyone involved in Fire Wind in jail from the boss to the guys in the mail room. Best part is that we've gotten so much over the years it will take nearly a decade to go through most of it in court so no matter what the sentence is they'll all spend years in jail waiting for the trial to end." Bit: "I don't give a damn about that and you know it. I'll I want is the asses that are in charge of that organization dead." John: "Don't worry Bit I'll make sure you get your shot at them. This is just for the members you don't kill." Bit: "That can't be too many considering how many transports and factories I've trashed." John: "They're always getting fresh faces. Anyway while I take this stuff back home for analysis you've got some jobs to do." Bit: "Already?" John: "Hey Fire Wind's taken advantage of your absence and shipped a lot of stuff while you were out." Bit: "Crap. Shoulda' known." John: "See ya later Bit. I'll download the info to Liger's computer before I leave." John grabbed a box full of discs and walked down the hall of the cavernous Whale King. Bit closed the door and sighed. Bit: 'Sometimes this job is a pain in the ass.'  
  
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In a small control room two men in white coats sat in front of several computer monitors looking at them with peak interest. A man in a black suit walked in. Man in Suit: "So how's Mr. Hawkings doing?" Scientist1: "Very well. He seems to have gotten the hang of piloting prototype X and is improving far beyond what we had expected." Scientist2: "We've made the necessary adjustments and are furthering his synchronization with the zoid little by little. I'm afraid it's going to take longer than we had thought though." Man in Suit: "Can't you do this up any faster?" Scientist2: "I'm afraid not. If we rush there could be horrible repercussions and he won't fight as affectively as he could." Scientist1: "We understand you wanting him ready to fight as soon as possible but we won't get a second shot at this so we have to get it right the first time." Man in Suit: "I understand that. I was merely asking if this could be sped up at all. The comity is getting anxious and I don't think it best we keep them waiting any longer than they have to." Scientist1: "We understand. We'll try to go as fast as possible." Man in Suit: "By the way. What is his sync ratio at now?" Scientist2: "About 82.594%." Man in Suit: "You've had nearly five weeks and that's all you've got?" Scientist1: "That's not too bad. If anything it's ahead of schedule." Man in Suit: "That has to be enough!" Scientist2: "No I'm afraid not. We believe Bit Cloud has a 100% sync ratio with the Liger Zero. We have discovered over the past few years that the longer a pilot uses one zoid the better they become and only a certain amount of their battle abilities have to do with experience. What happens is eventually pilots form natural bonds with their zoids and slowly slip into sync with them. With the training process we're using pilots can slip into sync with their zoids in weeks instead of years. In other words this is not only vital to the training Officer Hawkings but to the training techniques of our own soldiers." Man in Suit: "Fine, fine I get it already. I asked if he was ready not how this whole thing works." The man left the room and the scientist went back to their work.  
  
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John Dragoon returned home at about 8 p.m. and he was already tired. He carefully jumped down from Light Wing carrying some boxes of discs. He had more on board and he planned to get them in another minute except he was interrupted. Peter: "Daddy!" Little Peter came running up and hugged his father's waist almost making him drop one of the boxes he was holding. John: "Whoa! Hey Pete! How's my big guy!" Despite his fatigue John managed to put a lot of enthusiasm in his voice as he spoke. Peter: "I'm good!" John: "Just good? Not great?! Why not fantastic?!" He spoke in a joking manner the way his own father had spoken to him as a child. He put the box aside and picked up Peter who laughed at this. Peter: "WEEE!" John put Peter down a second later much to Peter's disappointment. Peter: "Daddy where were you?" John: "I was over visiting your uncle Bit again." Bit and John had no relation to one another but this is what John usually referred to Bit as when talking to his kids. Peter: "You've been over there a lot." John: "Well he's needed my help a lot lately. Tell ya what, as soon as I can we'll go somewhere fun together." Peter: "Yay! Are Mom and Eureka coming to?" John: "Well your mother and Eureka need attention to but...no we'll go by ourselves." Yuna: "Just make sure you don't break that promise." Yuna had walked in while John and Peter were talking. Yuna: "Peter it's almost time for bed." Peter: "But M-o-o-o-o-m..." Yuna: "No buts mister." Peter walked away slouching in a disappointed mood. Yuna walked up and kissed John. Yuna: "So are you back for the night or are you leaving again?" John: "Not unless something comes up." Yuna: "That's been happening a lot lately. Hey, what are those boxes for?" John: "They're full of computer discs and chips Bit recovered. There are a lot of them so I took some back with me to have N.U.C.L.S.S. repair and decode the data on them." Yuna: "That looks like an all-nighter job." John: "Yeah for my computer. Don't worry, once I set it up to decode these I'll be free for the night." Yuna: "Good. We don't spend enough time together." John: "I know. I don't like it either."  
  
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In the council room of the Comity of Seven the comity and Altile sat debating what to do. Voice3: "This is too much of a problem! Training that police officer is taking to long!" Voice7: "What happens if he starts to catch on?!" Voice6: "I assure you that won't happen. He's to obsessed in his quest to destroy Bit Cloud to give it much thought." Altile: "For your sake I hope you're right. I agree that he probably won't question why so much effort is being put into his training but he may be ready too late. Despite the supplies we've secured over the past few weeks it's only so much to go on. We'll have to think of something else if the plan doesn't pan out." Voice2: "Perhaps we should call in mercenaries." Voice5: "Fool! We already have bounty hunters from all over the world looking for him and it's gained us nothing!" Voice2: "I was thinking we hire them personally. Handpick the ones we want. Find the ones who aren't looking and have them name their price." Voice8: "That could work. Some of the more talented bounty hunters aren't looking for him because they think it's a waste of time but if we give them what they want we'll have the best in the business looking for him." Voice4: "This sounds risky and expensive. In order to get them to work we'll need to pay them part of the money up front so if they fail we still lose money." Voice3: "It does sound expensive but it could work. Perhaps we should also call in zoid teams as well. All of them Class A and S warriors; see how well he does against that." Altile: "These are all very good ideas but they are risky. We may come to regret this but I think we should try it." Voice6: "Commander Altile, perhaps we should also find warriors who have fought Bit Cloud before and help them with Officer Hawkings training." Altile: "An excellent idea. It gives me a better one as well. We watch and record the fights between the Liger Zero and the mercenaries and use the data of the Liger Zero's fighting style in the prototype to allow it to predict the Liger's movements and use the information for simulator training. If the mercenaries should fail we shall still profit from it."  
  
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In the darkness of the night the Liger walked away from it's kill. The wrecked Gustav and it's Saber Tiger protectors lay ruined on the desert road, blood spilling from the cockpits, oil and other fluids flowing from the dead and dying zoids. Bit: "Sigh Liger, remember when this used to be fun and exciting?" The Liger roared, answering it's pilot's question. Bit: "Thought so. I can't wait till this is all over. I don't really know what we're gonna do after this but anything has got to be better than killing low level lackeys." The Liger roared again. Bit: "You know I couldn't care less. Those idiots choose their own fate." Liger let out another roar. Bit: "Liger! We're old buddies but you know you should never speak about her to me!" The Liger roared an apology. Bit: "S'okay. I'm touchy about that." Bit reached into his shirt and pulled out a gold chain that had two gold rings with engravings on the inside that were difficult to read in the darkness hanging on it. Bit: 'I'll get them for you. I won't let them get away.'  
  
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The next day John, Jamie and Leon were all in the Tauros Base hanger. John had brought some computers and was running diagnostics on the Raynos and Blade Liger. Leon: "Well?" John: "They seem to be fine." Jamie: "Told you." John: "Leon, why did you call me here? I think it's obvious that your zoids are fine." Leon: "I couldn't risk it. Like you, we can't afford to reveal that we're involved with Bit. I wanted to make sure Fire Wind hadn't installed anything on them to spy on us." John: "Why didn't you just say so? Don't worry, Fire Wind can't use things like that. It puts them at risk and after what happened to them before they were Fire Wind they don't want to reveal themselves. The problem with this is that they kill anyone who tries to defect and run away. By the way you're being paranoid." Leon: "No, just cautious and how were they keeping track of us anyway? They don't have satellites spying on us do they?" John: "No, I've checked that and found nothing. No satellites owned by any of the companies they control no unregistered satellites and I know they're not hacking into other satellites." Jamie: "How?" John: "Because I've already done that and locked all unauthorized users out." Leon: "Then how are they spying on us I wonder?" John: "Isn't it obvious? They send out scouts. I've seen them every now and again and they can only be seen with your own eyes assuming they're not in stealth mode." Jamie: "So we could be being watched right now and not know it?" John: "Relax, Jamie. They can't here us in here but you are right they could be. They probably know we're all involved now but they can't do anything about it." Jamie: "Can't do anything about it?" John: "Do you have the slightest idea of how many conspiracy theories there are on the murder of Leena and the kids. If, randomly, the rest of the old Blitz Team and John Dragoon were all killed the investigation would be massive. It wouldn't take the police long to figure out that there was to a connection to our murders with that of the Clouds and the idea that there was an organization that was hounding us would spark an investigation that wouldn't stop until someone was caught." Leon: "So it's too risky is what you're saying." John: "Exactly." John grabbed the various laptops he had brought, went to Light Wing and left.  
  
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Bit was lying on top of the Whale King, relaxing in the sun. He had taken his black jacket off and was just wearing his blue T-shirt with his two rings on the outside of his shirt. This was a rare moment for Bit, the chance to relax. These moments were precious to Bit because he got so few and he didn't want to be disturbed.  
  
Dr. Layon was in a small lab in the Whale King working on a computer and the signal UNABLE TO RETRIEVE DATA. Layon: "Damn this infernal machine! This is impossible." The computer beeped as a new message appeared. Layon: "Huh? Incoming from the N.U.C.L.S.S. program. Damn, Bit's not going to be happy about this. He hates it when I interrupt his private time but this looks important." Unhappily Dr. Layon got up and proceeded to walk out of his small lab and head for the top of the Whale King.  
  
Bit was lying on the Whale King looking face up at the clouds as they drifted by and as he watched this he couldn't help but remember happier times. Bit: "sigh... life is so unfair." Layon: "More than you know." Bit suddenly sat up and looked back at Dr. Layon. Bit: "You know I hate being disturbed at times like this." Bit spoke very bluntly as he looked at Dr. Layon with a slightly irritated look. Layon: "Sorry but you've got things to do. John's program just sent us a warning and it looks important." Bit: "Crap. I hoped John using that thing to decode that data would keep it busy for more than a night." Layon: "Yeah well it didn't. Now stop complaining you leave in thirty." Bit gave an annoyed groan, got up and started walking to the entrance or what ever one would call it.  
  
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The Comity of seven and Altile gathered around the same old table they always used and prepared for the meeting. Altile: "The trap is set and soon Bit Cloud should show up at our phony shipment." Voice3: "So then we've gotten some good mercenaries?" Altile: "The best we could find." Voice5: "And the recon zoid?" Altile: "In position." Voice7: "Then this could be the last we'll see of Mr. Cloud." Voice8: "Don't get your hopes up. He's managed to beat everything we've thrown at him." Voice4: "Aren't we going to watch this?" Altile: "Of course. We are going to wait for the main attraction to arrive first." All of them broke out in cackling as they waited to see their trap come down on Bit.  
  
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The Liger ran in stealth mode going as fast as it could go. Bit hated going out in the day but it was necessary at times. Fire Wind had gotten most of it's shipments during the day which was how they had managed to keep going but Bit could only attack so many of them a day so some of them got through. The Liger was coming up on it's target, a Gustav haling two large containers with five Command Wolves protecting it. Bit: "Show time." The Liger charged with it's blades extended. Liger easily sliced through the two Wolves on one side of the transport. After gaining some distance the Liger turned around and fired it's pulse cannon at the wolf at the front knocking it down. The final two wolves charged at Liger and began firing their rifles at it. The Liger ran out of the way and used it's pulse cannon again to hit one of the wolves in the cockpit and finished the last one with a Strike Laser claw. The Liger turned towards the helpless Gustav, flipped out it's sniper rifle and fired it at the transporter destroying it.  
  
Bit: "Well that was easy. What?!" Bit looked and saw that all the zoids were unmanned and there was nothing in the containers. Bit: "What's going on?! Ungh!!!" The Liger was hit from behind by several shots. Omari: "Take that you crook!!!" Kurklin: "You won't win this time you cocky punk!!!" Lineback: "This is the end for you!!!" Bit: "What?! Oh you've got to be kidding! What are you Fuzzy Pandas doing here?!" Saber Fangs: "WE'RE NOT THE FUZZY PANDAS!!!"  
  
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Voice5: "The Saber Fangs?!?!?! You called them Altile?!?!" Altile: "Relax. I'm getting at something." Voice7: "I just hope that something isn't insanity." Altile: "I assure you it's not."  
  
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Bit stared at the familiar yellow Saber Tiger with his jaw dropped and a dumb look on his face. Bit: "What the hell are you idiots doing here?!" Kurklin: "You've become a thief and you're calling us idiots?" Omari: "We're here to take you down!" Lineback: "Surrender peacefully and we won't have to destroy your zoid." Bit: "Humph. You guys couldn't beat me back when I was a rookie so what make you think you can do it now?" Kurklin: "Ha! We're not the same old pilots you remember." Omari: "We would've beaten you and your old team back at the Royal Cup if it hadn't been for that stupid judge!" Bit: "Now you're blaming your problems on the judge? Man you guys are even more pathetic than I remember." Lineback: "That's enough out of you, you crook!" Kurklin: "Time to show you just what we can really do!"  
  
The Saber Tigers, which had surrounded the Bit, charged at him with guns firing. Bit: "This is going to easy." The Liger easily jumped out of the way causing the Saber Tigers to nearly crash in to each other. Kurklin: "Move guys! He's getting away!" The Liger ran in away from the Tigers to get enough distance. As the Tigers began to fan out Bit identified which one was Omari, turned around then charged at him. Lineback: "Look out Omari!" It was too late the Liger came within a kilometer of Omari's Saber Tiger then jumped on it knocking it to the ground and causing the Command System to freeze. Kurklin: "Omari! No!!!" The Liger turned around and went for Kurklin. The Liger's claws began to glow as it approached the Saber Tiger. Bit: "Hey, remember this?!" The Liger leaped into the air and came down on the Saber Tiger, cutting its right limbs off. Lineback: "You won't get away with this!!!" Bit: "I already have." Bit activated the sniper rifle, aimed at the final Saber Tiger and fired two shots. Lineback: "AHHH!!!" Bit: "Did you guys recognize the moves I used. You should since they're the same ones I used to defeat you for the first time, well except for you." The Liger turned back to Lineback's Saber Tiger. Bit: "Brad was the one who shot you down but he's not here." Bit had a smirk on his face and he had to admit that was entertaining for him. Not in the way a challenging fight is it was just funny. As the Liger stood looking at the defeated Saber Tigers three black blurs zoomed by it causing the Liger to lose it's balance and fall over. Bit: "What the fuck?!" Jack: "Greeting Bit Cloud. It's been a long time." Bit: "No. it could be. Jack Sisco!!!"  
  
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Voice5: "The Lighting Team. I see. The Saber Fangs were just a diversion." Altile: "Mr. Sisco and his team were running late so I had the Saber Fangs distract him." Voice7: "Good to hear. For a minute I thought you were losing it Commander Altile." Voice4: "But hasn't he managed to defeat him twice before?" Altile: "Alone, yes. Every time he has beaten Mr. Sisco he was fighting him one on one. This time Bit Cloud is on his own and he's up against three Lighting Siax. Besides, Jack Sisco is a man who always is improving his skills. After losing to Bit Cloud the first time he strove to improve and refine his skills and I imagine he did the same thing after losing in the Royal Cup. The Liger remembers the fighting styles and techniques that it's opponents last used on it. Mr. Sisco has most likely changed many aspects of his style by now." Voice2: "Then this may truly be the last of Bit Cloud. He'll fight until he wins, dies or is knocked unconscious."  
  
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Bit: "I don't believe this. You're after me too?!" Jack: "Sorry Bit, but that's how things go." Kris: "Maybe you shouldn't have become a criminal. Then we wouldn't be here to catch you." Kelly: "You've got no one to blame but yourself." Bit: "You guys have no idea what I'm doing or what you're about to do." Jack: "I don't think so Bit. Losing your wife didn't make you lose your grip on reality, did it?" Bit: "You leave Leena out of this." Kelly: "Jack, I think you should." Jack: "Why? You think I'll hurt his feelings or something?" Kelly: "No, I think you'll make him angry. Let's just beat him and go. You know if we weren't being paid so much we wouldn't even be out here." Bit: "I knew it! Someone did put you and the Fuzzy Pandas up to this!" Saber Fangs: "We're not the Fuzzy Pandas!!!" Jack: "Enough talk. You're not the kind of guy to surrender so I'm just gonna skip it." Jack's Saix Ran forward past the Liger trying to knock it down with it's force. The other two quickly followed. Liger was pushed back but managed to keep its footing. Bit: "Damn it. This isn't going to be easy. I'm by myself and I don't have the Zero Jaeger to level the playing field. Liger, buddy, we're in deep shit now." Liger roared and turned around to face the three Saix that had zoomed by z second ago and were now coming back.  
  
The Liger braced itself and activated the sniper rifle. Bit: "These guys are fast but that won't matter if they don't have all four legs." The Liger roared. Bit: "I know I've never tried fighting them like this before but we've never had to fight all three by ourselves and this time we're fighting to keep our freedom. We can't lose and I don't think we should sit around waiting to see if anyone shows up to help." The Liger took aim and fired three shots, each of them missed the target. Bit: "Damn it!" Bit continued firing. Bit wasn't a poor marksman but he specialized in close range combat not sniping and hitting objects that move that fast was difficult even for accomplished sharp shooters.  
  
The Saix roared by hitting the Liger with a powerful shock wave. Bit: "URGH!!!" Liger was lifted off the ground and thrown aside. Bit managed to quickly get the Liger back on it's feet before the next assault. Bit: "You're right, Liger. We're not gonna beat em this way." Liger's turbines fired and the thrusters flipped out and activated. Bit: "We can't run as fast as them but this should even things out a little." Liger began to chase after the Saix. Because of the similarities to the Jaeger armor, Liger could run as fast as the Lighting Saix when they weren't using their booster so Bit and the Liger could somewhat keep up but the Saix still smoked him as Bit fired the pulse cannon at the them. Bit: "God damn it! I feel like such an amateur doing this!" Jack: "You look like an amateur doing that." The Saix turned around and zoomed by the Liger again. Bit: Crap! This is getting annoying!" Liger activated it's stealth shield and disappeared from sight. Kris: "What?! Where'd he go!?" Jack: "A stealth shield. No wonder everyone has had a hard time catching him." Kelly: "Any ideas?" Jack: "We split up and run around the area. Being invisible won't save him from getting knocked over." The Saix all shot off in different directions at top speed hoping to find the Liger before it found them. Jack: "Look for any footsteps in the ground. If he hits you try and figure out where the shot came from." Kris and Kelly: "Roger."  
  
The Saix ran at full speed each trying to find the Liger. Kris: "This is stupid. He could run for it and we wouldn't know it." Jack: "Bit's not the kind of guy to run away from a fight even if the odds are against him." Bit: (to himself) "That's right, Jack." Kelly: "Ahhh!!!" Kelly's Lighting Saix was hit by several blasts. Kris: "Kelly!" Jack: "He's over there!" Jack and Kris turned around and went towards Kelly. Bit: "It's dangerous to run into areas when you don't know where the enemy is." Jack and Kris were both hit by Liger's pulse cannon knocking them back. Bit: "Be happy your Saix are too fast to hit with the sniper rifle." Jack: "So this is what you've been reduced to. Using a stealth shield to win a fight?!" Bit: "This isn't like a real zoid battle, Jack, for me this is my freedom and I have to do anything to protect it. Besides, here you are going three on one. You call that fair?" Jack: "You've turned into a murderer. I had respect for you, Bit Cloud. I can't stand watching a good warrior go bad." Bit: "Obviously not enough respect to try and understand what I'm doing." Jack: "What are you doing? Killing transporters and vandalizing buildings and private property? Some thing you're doing with your life. I'm sure your wife would be happy. AHHH!!!" Jack's Saix was knocked down hard as if it had been tackled. Kelly: "I warned you." Jack: "Kelly, this is not the time! Get this thing off me!" As Jack's Lighting Saix was pinned on it's back Kelly got her footing back and shot at the invisible Liger knocking off Jack. A Large amount of dust went up into the air is the unseen Liger rolled. Bit: "Damn. I walked into that one." Jack: "Quick! Kris, Kelly, full speed! We'll circle the area. There will be no way to hit us and he'll be trapped!" Kris: "You sure?" Jack: "Positive."  
  
Jack's Saix got up and all three of them fired their ion boosters and began circling the area kicking up a tremendous amount of dust. Bit: 'Shit! If I attack I'll probably get one but the other two will know where I am and if I just stand here the dust will show them that anyway...unless...' Bit opened the Liger's blades but didn't energize them, Liger then came as close as possible to the Saix then quickly activated the blades and thrust the left one in their path. Kris: "Look out!!!" Kelly hit the blade and a second later her Saix split in two. Kris was next and going too fast to get out of the way in time suffered the same fate. Kris: "NOOO!!!" Kelly: "Damn you!" Jack: "Girls!" Jack was able to stop and spin around. Jack fired like crazy at the Liger, now able to identify because of it's illuminated blades. Bit: "Ungh!" Liger began to faze in and out of sight for a second or two before becoming completely visible. STEALTH SHIELD MALFUNCTION. Bit: "Great! Just perfect!" Jack: "Well since you can't use that fancy stealth shield anymore and the Taskers are out of this fight what do you say we go one on one like the old days?" Bit: "Why not? Got nothing else to do."  
  
Liger and the Saix stared each other down, looking dead into the other's gaze challenging the other to back down. The two began to walk to the side slowly at first then they began to pick up speed until they were in an all out sprint and both of them were looking ahead. Jack tried to activate the Saix boosters, they chocked a few times, letting out energy for a second and then stopping but they wouldn't fire. Jack: "What?!" The Saix computer began to read ERROR. Jack: "Damn it! Why now?!" Bit: "Looks like the damage we inflicted on your Saix is starting to take effect." Jack: "Shut up!" Jack took one hand off the controls and fiddled with the buttons in the Saix. The Saix ion boosters fired and the Saix took off but at a much slower speed than usual. Jack: "Shit. The boosters are at less than 50%." Bit: "Glad to hear it." The Liger had fired it's turbines and booster and was running right along side with the Lighting Saix. Bit: "Just like old times huh Jack?" Jack: "A little too much for my taste." Jack spoke in a bitter tone. He had usually lost to Bit in situations like the one he was in and he really didn't want to lose this time. Liger made the first move slamming into the side of Jack's Saix and Jack quickly retaliated, ramming Liger back. The two began to part ways and each turned off their booster and used the momentum to slide into positions facing one another and began firing at each other blindly. Both zoids took heavy hits and their armor was wearing down. Liger had thicker armor than the Lighting Saix but it had been through more and had taken more abuse than the Saix had so it would all come out to either who landed more hits or thought of something else and followed through.  
  
Both Bit and Jack knew they couldn't keep the random firing up much longer but both of them wouldn't dare to stop for a second to take better aim. Finally the Liger activated it's turbines and jumped out of the line of fire and sprinted towards the Lightning Saix with it's claws glowing. Bit: "Now! Strike...Laser...CLAW!!!" Liger leaded into the air and came down on the Saix, removing it's right legs. The Saix hit the ground with a loud thud as it growled in anger and pain. Jack: "No! I can't lose, not this time!" Bit: "Sorry, Jack, but that's how it goes." Liger's internal repairs had finished fixing the stealth shields and the Liger fazed out of site and ran off. Jack: "Damn it. The way he fought was so weird. This defiantly isn't the Bit I remember. He seemed so angry."  
  
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Voice5: "Well that was a complete waste of time and money." Altile: "Not necessarily." Voice6: "Yes, remember Commander Altile's plan to use the data for training?" Voice7: "So the ever silent Number six speaks. But he's right we at least benefited from that." Altile: "That is correct. Hopefully this data will allow Mr. Hawkings to not repeat the mistakes of the past." Voice3: "What about the Liger's stealth shield? How are we going to deal with that?" Voice2: "Those stealth abilities have brought many great plans to pitiful ends. Today's attempt might have worked if it wasn't for that." Altile: "Our engineers have thought of that and have installed scanning devices in the prototype X that will allow it to see the Liger Zero." Voice8: "I just hope we don't go broke. It would be nice to see Bit Cloud eliminated but it won't be worth it if he takes Fire Wind with him." Altile: "Don't worry about that. Why, with the money we've received from the bets today we'll have plenty of money." Voice4: "Bets? There wasn't a battle going on today." Altile: "Oh yes there was and we just watched it." Voice6: "You had our clients and members watching this? Don't we have a policy against showing them the damage to avoid causing doubt?" Altile: "Indeed we do but this time I knew people would love to see this and I have to admit I was almost hoping Bit Cloud won so we could collect money from our clients. Now with this all we have to do is wait." As soon as Altile finished speaking a man ran into the middle of the room gasping for breath. Man: "Commander -pant- Altile." Altile: "This had better be important." Man: "-pant- Mr. -pant- Hawkings is at -pant- 100% synchronization -pant-." Altile: "That's fantastic news. Run back and tell the science lab to look at the data we collected today and then see if they can use it before deploying Officer Hawkings." Man: "Yes -pant- sir!" The man took a deep breath then ran out.  
  
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Liger ran across the desert in stealth mode. By this time it was nearing night fall and the sun was just beginning to set. Bit: "Man, what a day. I'm really getting sick of this. Having the Saber Fangs attack me was one thing but Jack. I just wish this were over. GHHAA!!!" Bit let go of the controls for a second to grasp his right shoulder which now surged with a sharp pain. Bit: "Damn it! The phantom pain again! I don't know what's going on but it has to be bad to make it hurt like this!" Liger roared and continued on it's way.  
  
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S.D. Whoa. Something bad about to happen. Knuckles: I think you made that clear already. S.D. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't but one thing is for sure. Knuckles: That you need a vacation? S.D. Exactly! That and the next chapter should be interesting. Until then I'll be seeing ya. Knuckles: No you won't and why do you lock me in a cage every time you review someone's story? S.D. Because reviews are my business and the other places I thought of locking you up in are cruel and unusual. Knuckles: -shudder- Forget I asked. 


	11. Copy Cat

S.D. Hey everyone! Knuckles: How's it going?! S.D. Thanks to everyone who reviewed. It would have taken longer for me to get this chapter up but I was sick on Thursday so I had extra time to work on this. Knuckles: "What are you talking about? You slept most of the day! S.D. Do you ever shut up? Knuckles: No. S.D. sigh Oh well. Few things though first in the last chapter the Kegger007 Saber Fangs were brought in as nothing but a distraction, Blades of Death the Lightning Team was being paid a lot of money to go after Bit, Bloody Phoenix nice to see that people got that joke and finally to Mercenary Pen I'm always happy to receive constructive criticism but I like the way I write and although I've been trying to make the paragraphs shorter I'll keep things the way they are but seriously thanks. Knuckles: And we generally don't run into Sonic or Tails up here but we'll keep an eye out for them. S.D. Now on with the story!  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 11: Copy Cat  
  
The dark room in which the Comity of Seven met was deadly silent. A meeting had been called and everyone waited for Altile to arrive. Altile would be speaking to the whole base via video link to tell them of the new plan to extinguish Bit Cloud's life. Everyone's eyes turned to him as he walked in, pulled back his chair and cleared his throat. Altile: "Members of the Grand Comity of Seven and the proud members of Fire Wind, too long has our organization been assaulted by the likes of Bit Cloud. Too long has nearly all of our hard work been for nothing because of this man's action." A holographic picture of Bit appeared in the middle of the room. Altile: "He accelerated the collapse of the Back Draft that we all helped to create and is now attacking Fire Wind and threatens to destroy all we have worked so hard to rebuild. Like a swarm of locusts he has ravaged our once proud organization and devoured the fruits of our labor in an instant and despite attempts to squash him he returned with more fury than ever before. For a time it seemed as if he would destroy us single handedly before we could ever make our presence known to the world but now we have a plan. We have trained a soldier in a zoid comparable to the Liger Zero. We have harnessed this pilot's hatred of Bit Cloud to improve his zoid's fighting abilities and we have used all known data on Bit Cloud's fighting style to give him every edge we could give him and now he is ready. This could be the last of our problems." Altile sat down in his chair.  
  
Voice2: "We are currently devising a trap for Bit Cloud and we should be ready soon." Voice3: "We shall select a spot for the fight that will allow us to fully take advantage of this new zoid's capabilities." Voice4: "We are also devising a way to give him no option of escape." Voice5: "The pilot we are using will undergo one last training test using the data we collected yesterday before fighting." Voice6: "We shall announce when the fight should take place within the next few days." Voice7: "The information is classified so no one is allowed to speak about it outside of headquarters." Voice8: "Bets for the event will be taken starting two hours from now. If you wish to place one you have until the fight comes to an end and as usual you can't change your bet once you have made it unless you wish to increase the amount you wagered."  
  
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John: "Good God, Bit! You banged this thing up but good!" John, Jamie and Dr. Layon were on top of Liger Zero fixing the damage inflicted from the day before. Jamie: (Joking tone) "What do you expect? He ran into the Saber Fangs after all." Bit: "That's not funny! The Fuzzy Pandas didn't do anything it was the Lightning Team that did the damage!" John: (joking tone) "You sure? After all pandas do have claws." Both John and Jamie broke out laughing. Bit: "It's not funny! Are you guys going to fix Liger or not?!" John: "Alright, alright we'll get back to work." Bit: "So how long will this take?" Layon: "With damage like this, probably a few hours." Jamie: "Just be glad we're all here to help." Bit: "I will be if you and John would stop making fun of me." John: "Sorry, by the way, Bit, don't take this out tomorrow." Bit: "Why not?" John: "We're going to install some new things, that's why."  
  
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Ted Hawkings walked through a dark hallway. He was wearing a black jump suit with a gold vest and gloves. The suit looked like Vega's old outfit only larger. Ted Hawkings had the strangest look on his face. His eyes were cold and seemed almost lifeless. He face held a mean expression as he walked. Ted Hawkings was defiantly not himself.  
  
He entered a room with the two scientists who monitored his activities. Scientist1: "Ah, Mr. Hawkings. You're here early." Ted: "What now?" His voice lacked the enthusiasm he usually spoke with. Scientist2: "We have good news. We believe you are now ready to fight. A that's left is to set a date and send you there." Ted: "Why aren't we ready now?" Scientist1: "Patience Mr. Hawkings, patience. Remember, this is a coalition between several companies so planning this out my take awhile." Scientist2: "Besides, we have some new data for the simulator to work with so we need the time." Ted: "New data?" Scientist1: "For a few days now we have received information on Bit Cloud's fighting style from tapes of his attacks, survivor stories and descriptions from people who have fought him before. We received some new data the other day and have added it to the simulator." Ted: "So then I'm heading to the hanger?" Scientist1: "Indeed." Officer Hawkings left the room and proceeded back down the hall.  
  
Scientist1: "Is it just me or does he give you the creeps too?" Scientist2: "Yeah, he does. I hope this isn't a side effect from the training process or we're going to have an army of soldiers like that." Scientist1: "That's a scary thought. Speaking of the training process, have you filed our findings yet?" Scientist2: "Already on its way to the top brass." Scientist1: "Well at least this is going to help the organization." Both scientists gave each other a worried glance.  
  
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A few days had past, Liger was fixed and the number of shipments made by Fire Wind seemed to be dropping. John was in the Whale King once again working on Liger with Dr. Layon. He was at Liger's head and was working with the armor there when Bit walked in.  
  
Bit: "You're still working on Liger? What the hell are you installing?" John: "You know, Bit, you really should try to watch your mouth. And for your information we're installing improved power cells and a shield generator." Bit: "Shield generator? Didn't you say when you first made this thing that you couldn't put one in?" Layon: "We did, but that was nearly six years ago." John: "We wanted to put a generator in the Zero Phantom but there wasn't enough room." Layon: "It would take up too much space and throw off Liger's aerodynamics and would need larger power cells to support it which would further add to the aerodynamics problem." Bit: "And you can do this now?" John: "Bit, think for just a second. How many times have we upgraded the power cells and wiring in this thing over the past six years?" Layon: "Because of all the advancements with this last adjustment Liger can finally support shields without draining power any faster than it always has." Bit: "What about the generator?" John: "For the last four years Dr. Layon and I have been working on a smaller shield generator. We've looked at many different shields from different zoids in order to successfully shrink a generator small enough to fit in Liger." Bit: "And you did?" Layon: "Sort of. We found we could use the blades on Liger's head to amplify the shield generator's power and even if the blades are broken." Bit: "Okay but why? You guys spent nearly four years making a shield generator why?" John: "Use your head, Bit. If you don't remember the Back Draft has used charged particle cannons in the past, the whole world knows it. Knowing Fire Wind they probably set out to duplicate these and a specialized shield can stop that blast." Bit: "Fine. Just don't screw any of Liger's systems up." Bit left the hanger and Dr. Layon and John kept working.  
  
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Voice5: "Well?" Altile: "It's all set." Voice4: "Then we're ready?" Altile: "All we have to do is wait for them to take the bait." Voice7: "We've pulled a lot of traps lately, how do we know they won't suspect something?" Altile: "We have estimated the program that's been hacking us and although our scientists believe that we can't accurately estimate its power we know no file is safe so we made it top secret. They won't be able to resist." Voice8: "It's a shame really. The bets for this have been soaring through the roof and have only just begun to slow down." Voice3: "It wouldn't last. People will get nervous if we take too long." Altile: "People please this is important. The day after tomorrow we will spring this trap." Voice2: "Only two days?" Altile: "I think we gave them too much time. This should work perfectly. On Friday Bit Cloud will fight and on Saturday we'll be reading his obituary in the news paper." Voice6: "Then perhaps we should have some champagne delivered here for then." Altile: "Wonderful idea. We'll have the best in our collection." Voice4: "I don't mean to rain on our parade, but what if this fails?" Altile: "We have planned for that. We have invested too much time and money in this and invested too much publicity to let this fail now and we won't." The whole comity began to laugh. Unbeknownst to them a pair of brown eyes in the darkness was watching them. ???: "Not if I can't help it..."  
  
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Bit: "It done yet?" John: "That should do it." John was on top of Liger polishing the left head part. John: "Shield generator is up and running. Go on, give it a try." John hopped down from Liger and Bit climbed up to the cockpit. After the canopy closed Bit pushed a few buttons and a yellow shield formed around Liger. Bit: "Yellow?" John: "Do you have a problem with yellow?" Bit: "No, but I thought shields were all pink." John: "But, just like anything else on a zoid you can make it any color you want. People just don't bother. Besides I'm sure you haven't forgotten but Light Wing's shield is green." Bit: "How much power is this thing going to burn up?" John: "Your old Shield Liger used more energy in its shield than this one. Good thing we got it installed, you've got an important assignment and I'm busy most of tomorrow." Bit: "Another assignment?" John: "The file was difficult to retrieve so it's probably important." Bit: "Fine. Hey why are you busy tomorrow? Wait, let me guess. You're going to spend some "quality time" with Yuna, right?" John: "No ...that's later tonight. Tomorrow I'm spending the day with Peter. I made a promise and I'm not breaking it." Bit: "Good, I said you needed to spend more time with your family. So what are you going to do?" John: "We're going to spend the day at that new amusement park." Bit: "What about the rest of your family?" John: "Peter is still growing and he's growing up fast. I want to spend some time with him while he still wants to spend time with me. Eureka is too young to go and Yuna understands what I'm doing so it's just me and Pete tomorrow." Bit: "Shouldn't you go home then?" John: "Yeah probably. See ya!" John walked out of the Whale King's hanger and Bit got out of Liger's cockpit. Bit: "So, what do you think of your new shield?" The Liger roared with pleasure at it's new toy.  
  
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John returned home at 11 p.m. and he was exhausted. He walked out of the hanger through the hall and a few other rooms until reaching the family room and then up the stairs at the other end of the room. He went down the hall past the bathroom and after a few more doors got to his and Yuna's room. John walked in and closed the door behind him. Yuna: "Working late?" John: "Yeah." Yuna was already in bed in her night gown.  
  
The room was a reasonable size and had light blue wallpaper. The carpet was brown as was the carpet in the rest of the house. There was one window a few feet away from the queen-sized bed which had its head board against the wall opposite of the door. The bed had a plane polished wood frame and currently had white sheets with blue blankets. There was a dresser with an ornate mirror next to the left side of the bed it was mostly used by Yuna. There was another dresser was against the same wall as the bed a few feet from it. There was a nightstand on the right side of the bed as well and it was mostly used by John. That was how it worked, John slept on the right Yuna slept on the left. There was a door to another bathroom that only John and Yuna used on the wall right of the door.  
  
John tossed his jacket on his dresser then walked up to the dresser and grabbed a pair of black pajama pants and an undershirt. He went into the bathroom, quickly changed came back out and got into bed next to Yuna. Yuna: "You can't keep this up forever." John: "I know." Yuna: "This is going to wear you out by the time you're in your forties. I don't want to sound selfish but the time you're spending with Bit and Dr. Layon is the time you're supposed to be spending with me and the kids." John: "I know, Yuna. I don't want to be there all day but this is important. We get by primarily on the money we make in zoid battles and I can't let the dark battles return." Yuna: "Well, I don't mean to take their side but what's so bad about wanting battles to be more realistic?" John: "Nothing, but that's not what they want. Even in the Guylos War soldiers could eject and they were rarely surrounded by flames. They aren't being more realistic they're making it more dangerous. I can't let that happen." Yuna: "You can't let Bit fight this alone. That's what this is about isn't it?" John: "There's that but that's not the only reason. I don't want to talk about this anymore I need to get some sleep for tomorrow." John rolled over on his left side and closed his eyes but quickly opened them when he felt Yuna's hand on his shoulder. Yuna: "Could you put sleeping off for twenty more minutes?" She smiled as she spoke and after she was done John did to.  
  
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The next day Liger ran through the rocky part of the desert and was beginning to come upon canyons. Bit: "They're going through here? Shit, they must be getting desperate." Bit began to have to maneuver Liger around the increasingly larger rocks. Bit: "Hold it. Scanner's picking up something." Liger came to a fork in the canyon and took the right path. Bit: "Found you!" There was a Gustav ahead with Hell Cats following.  
  
Liger ran as fast as it could to catch up with the transport. The two Hell Cats at the back noticed Liger, turned around and fired at it. Bit: "So this is why they're in a canyon. They're trying to give me no room to move. On a regular pilot this would be the end but I'm not a regular pilot." Bit pressed the button for Liger's turbines and then used the force to run up the canyon wall. Bit: "Good bye!" Liger hit both of the Hell Cats in the head with a Strike Laser Claw crushing the cockpits. Bit: "Now for the transport." The Gustav that was haling the cargo was now going gunning it through the canyon it an attempt to escape. The remaining two Hell Cats ran along with it before jumping up high enough to let the Gustav pass them.  
  
The Hell Cats entered stealth mode and began to fire at Bit. Bit: "Please, like I haven't seen this before. Well Liger, let's give that new shield a test run." The yellow shield formed around Liger as it charged at the invisible Hell Cats. The impact easily knocked the both of them down. Bit: "Now time to finish this. What? Humph. Looks like this one was modified to be a lot faster. Whatever is in that container must be really important for them to go to this much trouble." Liger quickly raced after the Gustav through a few more forks in the canyon. Bit: "And I said that having tracking equipment wouldn't help me at all." Finally the Gustav came back into view. Bit: "There you are."  
  
It was then that Bit looked around and realized that they had entered an unusual part of the canyon. It was defiantly a natural occurrence but the area was huge and cut out like a half dome. Bit: "What the hell." The Gustav dropped the large white container in the middle of the area. It kept going until reaching the other end of the structure and left. Suddenly there was an explosion at the exit the Gustav had just taken and rocks now blocked it off. Bit heard another explosion and looked behind him to see the same thing had happened to the entrance he had just come through. Beams of white light shot form the sides of the canyon creating a black dome over the rocky one Bit was in. Bit: "What the hell is happening?!" To the far left against the canyon wall the rocks shifted and fell over to reveal a Judge capsule that was red. Bit: "A Judge capsule?!" The capsule gave off the usual sounds as it rose and opened revealing the judge inside. The judge was red like the capsule it was in its visor was black and in the shape of a cross or plus sign. The head looked like a regular judge but the body was modeled after the Dark Judge. Fire Judge: "Well, well, battle approved battle approved. Bit Cloud versus Ted Hawkings! Battle mode none. Area set up. Ready...FIGHT!!!"  
  
Bit: "Ted Hawkings?" Ted: "You forgot me already, scumbag? I'm crushed." Bit: "That voice. You're one of the cops from the set up last month!" Ted: "You're not as dumb as you look." Bit: "You couldn't stop me before and now you're by yourself. What makes you think you can defeat me now?" Ted: "Because I've been training for weeks and I have a new zoid one that is every bit as good as yours." Bit: "What makes you think that?" The front end of the container opened revealing two glowing green eyes. Bit: "No! It can't be! That's impossible!!!" Ted: "Because it is your zoid. Say hello to LIGER ZERO X!!!" The Zero X stepped out of the container revealing itself. The zoid was just like Liger except for the black gold and blue armor. Ted: "It too months but they were able to reverse engineer your zoid. Now that I have it I'm gonna take you down once and for all!" Bit: "Those monsters! How could they even try to duplicate my Liger?! I'll destroy you and that fake!!!"  
  
Liger lunged at the Zero X but it managed to leap out of the way. It quickly turned around and fired the shock cannon on it's underside at Liger. Liger was able to run out of the way. Bit: "A shock cannon? You're not gonna win with that thing!" Ted: "Ya don't say?" The Zero X's double blades flipped up over its head, began to pulse with energy and then fired a powerful blast at Bit. Bit: "What?!" The shot missed Liger but it hit the ground next to it and the flying pieces of rock hit Liger's side. Bit: "So we're going for the big guns." The sniper rifle on Liger rose and took aim. Bit: "Eat this, you jackass!!!" Bit fired but the Zero X dodged again. Ted: "This thing isn't as fast as your Liger but it's still just as maneuverable!" The two began firing shots at each other each of them intent on blowing the other to scrap. Neither of them would hold still nor stop firing. They never managed to hit each other but the shots came close every time. Bit: "You're gonna run outta energy some time!" Ted: "Don't think so you piece of shit! The turbines on the back of this thing are miniature power plants. I'll run out of bullets but not energy!" Bit: "Aw shit! That doesn't sound good."  
  
Liger began firing it's pulse cannon at the Zero X and it switched to the shock cannon. They continued shooting at each other and dodging the other's fire. It was all they could do.  
  
Liger suddenly charged at the Zero X and then jumped at it but the Zero X repelled the attack in a similar fashion that Leon had once done. Ted tried to follow up on the attack but Bit and the Liger had managed to recover quickly and then they counter attacked by head-butting the Zero X in the side changing the battle to close range combat.  
  
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Peter: "WEEEE!!!" John: "Yeeeha!!!" The roller coaster came to a stop and John and Pete got off. Peter: "That was fun!" John: "You don't need to tell me that! Your old man here is an old fan of roller coasters." Peter: "Really?" John: "You bet. The first one I went on I was your age and it had loops in it. Somehow your grandfather managed to talk me into going on it and until the ride was over I was scared stiff." Peter: "Thanks for bringing me out here Dad." John: "You're welcome Pete. Glad to see you like it. I had to drop everything to come out here today." Peter: "I'm glad you did. Come on! If we hurry we can get over to bumper cars!" John: 'Man, I feel tired already. Yuna was right, all those late nights and everything is wearing me down.'  
  
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The Liger and the Zero X's blades collided, sending sparks flying as the two zoids pushed against each other, trying to push the other back. Bit: "Damn it, why won't you die?!" Ted: "You tell me why you won't first!!!" The two pushed against the others blade with all the force they could draw on. The Zero X had it's blade's power to maximum output and the Liger had it's turbines and thrusters activated. Neither of them dared to back down.  
  
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Dr. Layon was enjoying a cup of noodles at his computer. He was in a very good mood at the moment. He had just finished with the last of the data Bit had brought back, the Whale King was functioning almost at full capacity and his noodles had come out perfect. Things couldn't get much better so of course they had to get worse. It started when his computer beeped, startling him and causing him to drop his hot noodles on his lap. Layon: "AAHHH!!! HOT, HOT!!!" And then when he knocked a box of discs with data he had just recovered off of his desk and onto the floor. Layon: "Aw, just perfect!" Dr. Layon turned to his computer to find out what the message he had just received was. Layon: "What is it?!" N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Touchy today are we?" Layon: "I'm not in the mood N.U.C.L.S.S! Now what is it?" N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Bit is in trouble. The document that was recovered was a trap. He is now in battle and it is unclear whether or not he will be victorious." Layon: "He's been in sticky situations before." The computer screen suddenly flashed with satellite images. The pictures zoomed in on a desert and then on a canyon and then on a black dome that was clearly not supposed to be there. Layon: "What the hell?! N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Bit is currently fighting inside this dome against an artificially created Liger Zero. The two combatants seem to be evenly matched." Layon: "Got it! I'll call John." N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Do not bother. John has left for the afternoon with his son and did not take his cellular phone with him." Layon: "What?! Crap! I guess I'll have to call Leon."  
  
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Liger and the Zero X were rolling on the ground together. The Liger had it's teeth and claws in the Zero X's side and the Zero X had it's teeth and claws in Liger's sides. Bit: "GOD DAMN IT, GET OFF MY ZOID!!!" Ted: "WHY DON'T YOU GET OFF MINE, YOU BASTARD?!?!?!"  
  
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Leon: "How long have we been cleaning now?" Jamie: "A few hours." Leon: "Come on, how about a break?" Jamie: "Please, compared to the work I used to have to do around here this is nothing." Jamie and Leon were scrubbing the walls of the briefing room and Leon was clearly getting tired. Now that they had a little spare time Jamie decided that the base had been filthy long enough and that Leon was going to help him. The video phone rang. Leon: 'Thank God!' "I'll get it." Leon froze as he saw Jamie had already hit the button for the monitor. Jamie: "Hey Dr. Layon. What's up?" Layon: "Nothing good. The N.U.C.L.S.S. has informed me that Bit has been ambushed by a sort of Liger Zero clone and is trapped in one of the shield domes Fire Wind developed while they were the Back Draft." Jamie: "What?! Leon did you hear that?!" Leon: "Yeah, come on, we've got to get moving." Layon: "Wait! You need to call Brad first. I'd do it myself but it's risky enough calling you guys." Jamie: "Got it. We'll call Brad and get moving."  
  
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Bit: "Buster Slash!!!" Liger charged at the Zero X and It was charging at Liger with it's blades out and pointing forward. Ted: "Die you asshole!!!" The two collided and were knocked back. Ted: "Just give up you bastard!" Bit: "Fuck you!" They tried attacking each other again only to end up with the same result.  
  
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Brad: "This better not be a false alarm." Leon: "I don't think it is, Brad." Jamie: "Even if it is we said we'd help Bit and that includes checking out situations even when it's at an inconvenience to us." Jamie, Brad and Leon had all gotten into their zoids and were heading to where Dr. Layon had instructed to go. Jamie: "Wait! I see it!" Brad: "See what?" Jamie: "The dome. It's up ahead." Leon: "He's right. It's faint but I can see it too."  
  
Leon: "Whoa!" Brad: "Well that brings back some memories." Jamie: "Yeah, bad ones." Once they arrived at the dome Jamie landed the Raynos and Brad and Leon stopped their zoids. Brad: "So how do we get inside?" Leon: "That's easy. We just bust through, trust me I've done it before." Leon backed his Blade Liger up and when he had enough distance he opened the Blade Liger's blades, positioned them forward and raised the shield. Leon: "Here goes!" The Blade Liger charged at the black dome and struck it only to be knocked back. Leon: "Ahh!" Brad: "You've done this before, huh?" Jamie: "Looks like this isn't the same old dome they used to use. The old ones seemed to be for keeping enemies in but this one is designed to keep them out as well." Leon: "Wish I'd known that ten seconds ago." Brad: "So then how are we going to get inside?" Jamie: "We'll have to find one. Brad, you and Leon look around the border of this thing and see if you can find a way in, in the meantime I'll take a look from the air after making a phone call." Leon: "Phone call?" Jamie: "I'm gonna call Yuna and tell her to tell John what's going on when he gets back." Brad: "Assuming he gets back in time."  
  
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Bit: "Got you!" Bit fired the sniper rifle at the Zero X and scored a direct hit that stirred up a lot of dust. Bit: "Ha! What?!" As blast of energy suddenly came from the cloud of dust and hit Bit causing another cloud of dust. When the first dust cloud cleared it revealed the Zero X with a shield protecting it. Ted: "Take that you cocky son of bitch! Guess you didn't know about my shield." The Liger burst forth from the dust that surrounded it with it's shield up and it charged at the Zero X. Bit: "And you didn't know about mine!" The Liger slammed into the Zero X and after a few seconds both of their shields went down. Ted: "What?!" The Liger crashed into the Zero X and slammed it into the canyon wall with it's paw on the Zero X's head. Bit: "Little fact a friend taught me. If two shields collide they'll cancel each other out and because I was waiting for it I got the drop on you!" Ted: "You bastard!" The Zero X struggled against the Liger before using the spike on the back leg armor to hit Liger in the head. Bit: "Argh!" The Liger reeled back in shock while the Zero X got it's footing back. Ted: "You won't stop me with cheap tricks like that!"  
  
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Yuna was on the couch in the living room reading a book with Eureka crawling along the floor in front of her, softly cooing. The silence was interrupted by the phone ringing. Yuna: "Huh. Who could that be?" Yuna put her book down, picked up Eureka and walked over to the video phone. Yuna: "Hello. Oh, hi Jamie." Jamie: "Hi. Look I've got an important message for John when he gets back." Yuna: "You know he's gone?" Jamie: "He told us, well me and Bit but that's not important. Tell him to call Dr. Layon for details." Yuna: "Okay, I got it. Bye Jamie." Eureka: "Bye, bye!" Jamie: "Bye."  
  
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Bit: "Damn it!" Ted: "Bastard!" The Liger Zero Phantom and The Liger Zero X were both in rough shape, they had scars and burn marks all over and the stress from battle was starting to take a toll on the pilots as well. Bit: "I don't get. We've been fighting for nearly thirty minutes and we're still fighting about even. Usually after this much time the organoid system starts to kick in and we start to get the upper hand." Ted: "There's a good reason why that's not happening. I told you my zoid is like yours and I meant it which means, of course, that I have an organoid system too!" Bit: "What?!" Ted: "That's right. This is the world's first artificial Ultimate X!" Bit: "..." Ted: "What's a matter? To stunned to say anything?" Bit: "...Those...BASTARDS!!! How dare they tamper with the genius that is my Liger?!?!?! I'll kill them and you!!!" The Liger charged at the Zero X with it's claws beginning to glow. Ted: "Two can play at that game." The Zero X's claws glowing silvery white. Bit: Now. STRIKE..." Ted: "LASER..." Bit and Ted: "CLAW!!!" The two zoids collided in mid-air hitting each other with their claws taking pieces off the other's head and shoulder armor.  
  
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Voice6: "I told you this would work." Voice3: "Alright already, stop gloating." Voice7: "Still, one can't help but be pleased with the results we're seeing." Voice8: "It looks like they may very well destroy each other." Voice2: "One can only hope. With then both gone the evidence will be as well." Voice5: "This battle is drawing in a lot of interest the bets have doubled since they started fighting." Voice4: "I can't help but be worried we're going to lose our prototype though. Oh well, some sacrifices must be made I suppose." Altile: "Indeed, but things are not what they appear to be." Voice7: "What do you mean commander?" Altile: "Although they appear evenly matched they if you look closely it seems Bit Cloud and the Liger Zero have the upper hand. Soon the Liger Zero X will be beaten just barely. Number Six you will be punished but don't worry it won't be anything too bad. As I believe I said earlier I prepared for this." Voice3: "That's good to hear but our clients won't be too happy since their bets will become null and void if the Zero X doesn't defeat the Liger unless this plan involves a self destruct mechanism." Altile: "As long as they specifically said they bet that Bit Cloud would lose they won't lose their bet. If the number isn't too much we wont collect on those who said that the Zero X would win."  
  
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Bit: "FIVE BLADE ATTACK!!!" Ted: "CHOKE ON THIS!!!" The Liger and the Zero X charged at each other, the Liger using the Five Blade attack and the Zero X using an attack like it. The two zoids collided sending sparks and beams of energy everywhere. Bit: "DIE!!!" Ted: "YOU FIRST!!!" both of them pushed against the other in the attempt to gain supremacy. The two were suddenly knocked apart when a large beam of energy flew past them just above the two zoids heads. Bit: "What the fuck!!!" Ted: "Holy shit!!!" Fuma: "Darn, I missed." Bit: "That voice...you, you're that pilot for the Fuma Team!!!" Ted: "The Fuma Team?! Weren't they with the Back Draft?!" Fuma: "That's right." The two Ligers regained their footing and looked to the direction the blast had come from and saw three Genosaurs standing there. Negara: "We're very disappointed in you Mr. Hawkings." Koga: "And here we thought you could handle things." Fuma: "To think we were generous enough to provide you with a zoid not once but twice and you failed both times." Ted: "You...you mean that..." Koga: "That you were hired by the Back Draft. You are correct." A look of shear horror gripped Ted's face as he realized what he'd been doing. It all hit him like a ton of bricks, the zoids the reason why Bit had been attacking those companies where they had gotten all this stuff, they had been using him."  
  
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S.D. Well that's it for this chapter. Sorry about the cliff hanger but I'm sure most of you are used to this in my story. Knuckles: Obviously considering they haven't tried to find you and kill you yet. S.D. Anyway I'll try and get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Oh and if you don't know what a zoid looks like well I'm sorry but this already tricky enough so I'll leave it up to you. Really all you have to do is search for zoids on the internet and you should come across the pictures eventually. Knuckles: Hey! Didn't you hear what I just said? S.D. Yeah but I'm ignoring you. Knuckles: What?! S.D. Later everyone! Knuckles: C'mon pay attention to me. Look card tricks, oh c'mon this isn't fair! 


	12. The King's Betrayal

S.D. Aloha everybody! It's Steam Detective! Knuckles: And according to the name in front of my dialogue I'm Knuckles. S.D. Sorry about taking so long to get this written, I kept getting distracted and it's that time of the year again, finals are coming...Knuckles: What? You've been playing video games for the past week ARRGH! S.D. That's enough out of you. But still I am under a lot of stress right now to stay on top of everything. Anyway thank you all for reviewing and speaking of reviews now's a good time to address some of them. Of course the Fuma Team intends to kill Ted too and as for what Bit is going to do after this whole mess I haven't quite decided, I have a few ideas that I'm tinkering with but I haven't made up my mind just yet. Finally to Mercenary Pen I have to say you're very smart aren't you, I'm impressed. Knuckles: Does that mean someone finally got you? Yes! S.D. No they didn't. Let me explain this, the Liger Zero was overhauled but I don't think that anyone would take the schematics for it and the only people who would want to would be the BackDraft who probably weren't aware and didn't care at the time. Second point I have to make is that they could not examine the black box which held the organoid system and after the collapse of the BackDraft it would take a few years before they could get around to anything that advanced. Besides, without the organoid system and the other armor sets, which were not analyzed, the Liger is somewhat of a mediocre zoid. Finally about the Strike Laser claw thing, if you take a look both the Liger and the Fox only use one law when using that attack and besides for the first few years Bit didn't use that attack and I'll explain that later in the story. Well on with the fic!  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 12: The King's Betrayal  
  
Voice4: "The Fuma Team?" Voice7: "Isn't that a little risky Altile?" Altile: "Perhaps but it was necessary. I didn't want to but this is the only way. The fact is we keep underestimating Bit Cloud and the Liger Zero so this time I decided that risking over estimating him would be a better course of action." Voice8: "Well this does spice up the battle quite a bit." Voice3: "Let's just hope our members aren't too angry at us." Voice2: "Won't the police be a little suspicious why they are suddenly missing an officer?" Altile: "I've thought of that and I have a solution." Voice5: "Which is?" Altile: "Once the Fuma Team disposes of them both we'll blow the place to pieces in order to destroy the evidence of charged particle cannon damage removing all the pieces of the Liger Zero X first and planting copied pieces of the Liger Zero and once that's done we'll tell the police about how Ted Hawkings was killed in the Gustav we gave him when the explosives it was carrying exploded prematurely." Voice6: "They still might suspect something." Altile: "I expect they will but our plans are nearing completion and all we need now are more supplies and with Bit Cloud out of the way we won't have to worry about losing anymore." Voice4: "Then by the time the police, army, GF and ZBC begin to catch on it will be too late?" Altile: "Precisely."  
  
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Jamie: "Well I've looked all around here and I can't find anything." Brad: "Me neither, what about you Leon?" Leon: "Sorry." Jamie: "Damn it. We're back to square one." John: "Maybe I can help." Leon: "John?!" Brad: "I thought you were out today." John: "I was but then Pete got sick on one of the rides. I told him not to eat all that junk food then ride on a roller coaster called the Gut Twister." Jamie: "Eww." John: "You can say that again. Anyway, from what I gathered you guys don't know how to get into this thing." Brad: "Pretty much." John: "Have you tried blasting through it?" Leon: "Tired it." John: "Hmmm. Well I'll try scanning it and see if I pick anything up. This is going to take awhile though."  
  
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Bit: "How did you three get in here?!" Fuma: "We were in here the whole time." Negara: "We were just hiding." Koga: "Commander Altile didn't want any slip ups this time." Fuma: "Now you will die, Bit Cloud. It was nice knowing you." Fuma's Genosaur spread it's legs out, dropped it's foot locks and proceeded to charge particle energy. Bit: "Come on, come on raise the fucking shield!" MALFUNCTION. Bit: "No, not now!!!" Fuma: "Goodbye." The Genosaur fired a charged particle beam right at the Liger. Fuma: "That should do it. What?!" The Liger Zero X stood in front of the Liger Zero, protecting it from the deadly blast. Ted: "You used me! Now you're gonna pay!!!" Fuma: "You insolent little-" Fuma's Genosaur began firing it's back mounted pulse laser at the Zero X's shield. Ted: "Hey! You gonna sit there or do something?!" Bit: "Huh? Oh, right!" The Liger ran out from behind the Zero X and began firing at the Genosaurs with it's sniper rifle. Fuma: "Fan out! They can't counter three Charged Particle Cannons at once!" Koga and Negara: "Roger!"  
  
The three Genosaurs surrounded the two Ligers and prepared to fire their charged particle cannons. Ted: "Oh shit! Your shield wouldn't happen to be working again would it?" Bit: "Nope. We'd only be able to stop two anyway." Ted: "Then what the hell do we do?!" Bit: "You try and stop one of the beams while I stop the other two from firing." The Liger drew it's blades and ran towards one of the Genosaurs. Koga: "You little idiot! I'm gonna..." Bit: "Gonna what? If you move you have to stop you cannon charge but if you stay there..." Koga lifted the foot locks and ran out of the Liger's path. Bit: "That's one." Ted: "Hate to bother you but-" Bit: "Hold on!" The liger aimed it's sniper rifle and tried to fire. Bit: "No! Out of ammo! How am I going to stop him, I can't get over there in time unless... John you had better have been right about this." Liger went into it's five blade attack and charged at the other Genosaur. Negara: "What the hell are you doing?!" Fuma: "Fire!" The remaining tow Genos fired their CPCs at the Liger and Zero X.  
  
Fuma: "We'll at least get one. What?!" The Liger stood in front of Negara's charged particle beam and was completely unaffected. Bit: "Looks like John was right the blades can cancel the beams out too." Koga: "Nice try but you're not out of the woods yet." Bit looked to his side to see Koga lining the Liger and the Zero X up in it's sites. Ted: "We've got a problem." Bit: "Which is?" Ted: "Your rifle is out of ammo and I can't risk turning around." Bit: "Why not?!" Fuma: "Silly man." Bit looked back to see Fuma charging her particle cannon as well. Bit: "Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place!" Koga: "Die!" Koga fired the CPC and a second later so did Fuma. Bit: "Oh shit!"  
  
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Jamie: "Well?" John: "Sorry, but I got nothing." Brad: "C'mon there has to be someway in." John: "Fraid' not. I thought maybe we could tunnel in but my scanners reveal that the shields extend below ground." Leon: "Below ground?!" John: "This thing sucks up a lot of power so it needs something to supply it with energy. There are small generators under the dome's projectors so the shield has to protect them too." Jamie: "Then how are we going to get through?" John: "We could try busting through again but that won't work without something stronger to break through it." Brad: "What about the Berserk thing?" John: "Might work but I don't know..." Leon: "Do you have any better ideas?" John: "(sigh) Alright." Everyone but John backed their zoids up while Light Wing rose into the air. John: "Light Wing, let's give this one our all." The Light Wing screeched in response. John: "Targeting...targets acquired...powering up...FIRE!!!" Light Wing let lose a huge volley of laser blasts on the black dome. A tremendous amount of smoke and dust was kicked up so much that the dome could not be seen.  
  
Jamie: "Did it work?" John: "Hold on the dust needs to clear." They waited a few minutes for the dust to settle and when it did. Brad: "Damn it!" The dome remained intact. Leon: "John, can you do that again?" John: "No, Light Wing needs to cool down first and that uses so much energy I can't use it more than once before having to recharge his power cells." Jamie: "We're back were we started."  
  
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Negara: "That should do it." All three Genosaurs looked at the damage they had caused. Smoke billowed from where the two particle beams had hit and it looked to be the end. Fuma: "The odds that they survived are unlikely." Koga: "Officer Hawkings might have ejected but Bit Cloud wouldn't, he loves his zoid too much to leave it." Negara: "Exactly. What?!" Fuma: "What is it?!" Negara: "I'm picking up life signs!" Ted: We're alive? Now how in hell did that happen?" Bit: "We owe Liger that one." As the smoke cleared the Liger Zero came into view with it's shield raised. Koga: "But you had a malfunction!" Bit: "I did and Liger's auto repair fixed it just in time."  
  
Ted: "Okay so we're not dead yet but that doesn't help that much. You're supposed to be a pro at this stuff so do you have any suggestions?" Bit: "What happened to "I'll kill you, you scumbag"?" Ted: "Now is not the time." Bit: "Alright how about I defend and you try and take one of those Genos out." Ted: "What?! Why me?!" Bit: "Because Liger's running low on power and you've still got plenty and we can't fight three of these things." Ted: "Okay fine but you better not be planning to stab me in the back." The Zero X lowered it's shield and raised it's blades and began firing at Fuma. Ted: "So what exactly am I trying to do?!" Bit: "Go for the foot locks! They need a secure base to fire their cannons!" Ted: "Got it."  
  
The Zero X ran towards Fuma and kept firing. Fuma: "Oh no you don't!" The Genosaur leaned down and started firing all three of it's guns at the Zero X. Ted: "Damn it, why do the controls feel so sluggish?!" Bit: "Both us and our zoids are wearing down so it's gonna be harder to move!" Ted: "Great." Fuma: "Damn it hold still!" The Zero X ceased firing and opened it's blades for attack. Ted: "Choke on this!" The Zero X lunged at the Genosaur but it ducked. The Zero X managed to cut off the gun on the top of it's head and the ones on it's back. Ted: "Huh, now you only have that cannon." Fuma: "You sure about that?" The Genosaur turned around and fired it's claw at the Zero X which grasped it on the front leg. Ted: "What the hell?!" A wave of electricity ran down the wire connecting the claw to the Genosaur. Ted: "GAHHH!!!" Bit: "TED!!!" The gold turbines on the Zero X's back began spinning faster and faster until they blew up. Ted: "Damn it! The Command System's frozen!" Bit: "Hang on!"  
  
The Liger Zero rushed in firing it's pulse cannon at Fuma's Genosaur. Fuma quickly move out of the way. Bit: "Damn it! Ted, can you move?!" The Zero X struggled with it's front legs and raised off the ground a little but immediately fell back to the ground. Ted: "Sorry. The Zero X won't budge." Bit: "Damn it, I'm on my own now." Bit looked back to realize all three Genos had begun slowly advancing towards him. Bit: "Shit, they're just mocking me now." The Liger fired it's pulse cannon at them and they dodged every shot. Bit: "Hold still and let me shoot you! Huh? No! Not now!" The Liger suddenly stopped firing it's cannon because it wasn't able to keep shooting. Koga: "Well, well, well looks like someone just ran out of energy." The two Genosaurs that still had cannons fired at the Liger until it fell to the ground. Bit: "No, it can't end like this!" Negara: "Accept it Cloud. You've lost. That's what you get for tangling with Fire Wind." The three Genos spread out and began charging their cannons. Ted: (to himself) "Damn, Lara said my hardheadedness would get me killed some day." Bit: "Leena, Toby, Amber...I'm sorry...I failed..."  
  
The Genosaurs fired their charged particle cannons at the two grounded zoids and sent up a huge plume of smoke. Fuma: "That's, that." Negara: "There's no way they could have saved themselves from that." Koga: "Commander Altile will be pleased.  
  
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(Pop)! Altile poured the newly opened Champaign into the wine glass in front of him and passed the bottle around. Altile: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have succeeded." Voice2: "May Bit Cloud burn in hell." Voice6: "Humph, hell's too good for him." Voice6: "To Fire Wind." Altile, Voices2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8: "To Fire Wind!" all of them raised their glass and then drank from them.  
  
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Fuma: "C'mon, we've got to get here before head quarters has this place blown up." The Genosaurs turned around and began to walk away when out of nowhere three blue laser blasts came out of the smoke and hit each Genosaur. Negara: "What the hell?!" Fuma: "Ah! No, you traitor!!!" Bit: "We're...alive?" Ted: "But how?" Bit looked in front of the Liger and saw a saurian foot with white purplish armor. Bit: "It can't be...Vega!!!" Ted: "Vega?" As the smoke cleared the menacing form of the Berserk Fury came into view in front of the two downed Ligers.  
  
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Altile and everyone all spat out their Champaign seeing this on the video screen. Altile: "(cough) (cough) Vega!!!" Voice4: "Our best warrior just betrayed us!" Voice7: "Damn it I thought he was locked in his room!"  
  
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Fuma: "How the hell did you get in here?!" Vega: "...same as you guys, I was here the whole time." Vega sounded almost the same just older. Negara: "But how did you get out with out anyone noticing?!" Vega: "Dead guards don't notice much." Koga: "Get out of our way Vega!" Vega: "Why should I? It's obvious I came here to save Bit." Bit: "...I don't know what to say." Vega: "You can think about that it later when we're out of here." Fuma: "Oh no you don't! You three aren't going anywhere!" Vega: "And who's gonna stop us? I've beaten you before I can do it again."  
  
The Fury's engines kicked in and it zoomed past the three Genos causing them to lose their footing as they scrambled to get out of the way. The Fury quickly got it's feet back on the ground, turned around, flipped out the two claws on it's back and began firing at the helpless Genos. Fuma: "Damn it! Koga, Negara! What the hell are you two waiting for, blast him!" Koga and Negara: "Roger!"  
  
The two Genosaurs that were still armed turned around and fired at the Fury. Vega easily piloted his zoid around all of their shots. Fuma: "Damn you!" Fuma fired her Genosaur's claws at Vega but he managed to dodge them too. The Fury ran in close to the three Genos and ripped into them with the Fury's rotating claws. The Genos backed up as fast as they in an attempt to split up and avoid being easily targeted by Vega.  
  
Vega: "Spreading out huh?" The Fury's claws turned around to face the two Genos running behind it and fired three shots at each of them and then turned to the one in front of him and repeated. Vega: "You didn't take into account that the Berserk Fury's lasers can pivot to almost any position." Fuma: "Oh we remembered and it seems you're getting rusty." Vega: "What did you say?" Vega looked and realized all three Genosaurs were preparing to fire their Charged Particle Cannons at him. Vega: "You've tried this one before and it didn't work." Koga: "Yeah but it does something else." Vega: "What are you... (gasp)!!!" It suddenly occurred to Vega that the last time they pulled that stunt it was at the Royal Cup where it had caused a huge explosion whipping out everything in the area. The two Ligers were in big trouble and the Fury wasn't in front of them to protect them. Vega: "NO!!!" The Fury turned around and fired multiple shots at the two Genos behind him and made sure that the shots went straight for their mouths. The constant laser blasts caused serious damage to the Genosaurs' jaws and closed off the gun barrels. Koga: "Quick, stop charging!" Negara: "Why, the blast should clear the cannon." Koga: "Idiot! If we do that the blast will recoil and kill us!" Negara: "What?!" The two Genos stopped charging immediately.  
  
The Fury turned around to face the last Geno and blocked the particle beam with the shield. Vega: "This is getting annoying." The Fury's foot locks dropped and the two metal claws spread out as the Fury began charging it's Charged Particle Cannons. Fuma: "NOOOO!!!" The Fury fired and...the blast went right past the Genosaur. Fuma: "You missed." Vega: "Who said I was aiming for you?" Fuma: "What?!" Koga: "Look!" Fuma: "Huh? Ah!" The particle beams had just blown a very big hole in the dome. Negara: "Why the hell did you do that you little punk?!" Vega: "Reinforcements." Fuma: "What?!"  
  
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John was running another scan, Jamie was trying to think of something and Brad and Leon were going over the perimeter to see if they had missed something when three particle beams smashed through the dome. Everyone looked at the gapping hole blankly for a second. Each person had a profoundly humorous look on their face as they stared in confusion. John: "...uhhhh, hey guys, I think I found a way in."  
  
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Koga: "What the hell do you mean, reinforcements!?" At that moment the Shadow Fox and Blade Liger came rushing through the hole that the Fury had created. Vega: "That." Brad: "Vega?" Leon: "I thought Bit was in here fighting a Liger Zero copy." Vega: "He was, just look over there." Leon: "Huh?" The Blade Liger and the Fox turned their heads towards the Liger and the Zero X. Brad: "Bit, are you alright?!" Bit: "Hell no!" Leon: "What happened?" Ted: "I'll fill that one. This is my fault, I was tricked into helping those assholes and when they thought I'd lose they jumped in to kill us both." Bit: "But Vega was here too and he stopped them." Brad: "So you blasted that hole in the dome?" Vega: "Duh." Leon: "You knew we were out there?" Vega: "Of course, I was using the feed from the Fire Judge to gain access to satellites to look at this place." John: "That seems a little complicated but ingenious." Light Wing was now hovering just outside the hole in the dome with the Raynos behind it.  
  
Vega: "Well?" The Fury turned around and faced the three Genosaurs who had run together as the others were talking. Vega: "I'd tell you to surrender but..." The Fury began shifting into the stance for firing its CPC's. Koga: "Let's get outta here!" Fuma: "Damn." The dome that surrounded them quickly disappeared and the Genos activated their boosters and got out as fast as they could. Brad: "Jamie! John! What the hell are you waiting for?! Go after them!" John: "Right, maybe we can get the location of Fire Wind's base from them." Vega: "Don't bother." Everyone: "Huh?" The Fury's cockpit opened and Vega stood up.  
  
He definitely wasn't the kid they had known anymore. His hair was still the same but his face was no longer that of a child, he wore a long- sleeved black shirt with a white cargo vest over it and camouflage cargo pants. The most noticeable feature that was different were his eyes. They no longer had the spark they had once contained and in its place was a look of sadness.  
  
Vega: "I know where it is." Jamie: "You'll tell us? But aren't you with Fire Wind?" Vega shook his head. Leon: "Then why did you just show up now?" Vega: "It was important for one thing and for another I only just escaped." Ted: "Escaped?" Vega: "I was being held against my will in the Fire Wind head quarters." Bit: "I figured you wouldn't be working for them, not at this age anyway." Jamie: "What do you mean?" Bit: "I may not know Vega very well but he's a genuine warrior. He fights for fun and only wants to find challenging opponents. He was only a kid when he worked for the BackDraft so I figured he'd begin to hate them as he got older and understood what they were doing better." Vega: "That's true but that's not why I began to hate them." John: "Then why are you here?" Vega: "(sigh)...I need your help." Bit: "For what?" Vega: "We both want the same thing Bit, to see Fire Wind fall and it's leaders killed and I can't do that by myself." Bit: "Fine. Your help is exactly what we need anyway. But why did you begin to hate them?" Vega: "I'll explain later, right now we have to get moving." John: "Right. I'll call Dr. Layon and have him pick us up." Brad: "Huh? Why don't you just give Bit a lift?" John: "I could but if you haven't noticed there's two downed zoids and I need to lift that." Light Wing turned to face the Fire Judge. Fire Judge: "Umm...uhhh...I don't know anything if that's what you're thinking!" John: "No, I don't think you do but you'll make great evidence."  
  
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Altile: "Curses!!!" The comity looked at the screen as the Light Wing dragon stared at the judge and then the picture went to static. Voice4: "We lost our best pilot, the Liger Zero X, a judge and I'll bet we just lost a lot of confidence from our members." Voice6: "Forget all of that! Vega is going to tell them were we are!" Voice2: "Come now, they wouldn't be foolish enough to attack now." Voice5: "Yes, with the Liger Zero down they'll have to wait another day or two before they strike." Voice8: "That doesn't make things any better now does it?!" Voice3: "We'll have to beef security up as much as possible before they get here." Voice7: "Fat lot of good that's going to do us! The Berserk Fury's Charged Particle Cannons will wipe out our security forces and they stretch for miles before extinguishing so there's no way to stretch out forces far enough!" Altile: "People! This is indeed a dire situation but it is not an impossible one. Need I remind you we have planned for an occasion such as this?" Voice5: "Commander Altile? You're not suggesting that we-" Altile: "Yes, I'm afraid so. We must get our work teams on alert if we are to get it running before they attack."  
  
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Back at the Whale King Everyone was hard at work fixing the two Ligers. Layon: "Tell me again why we're bothering to fix the Zero X." John: "Ted volunteered to help and we need all the back up we can get now." Brad: "How do you know that he isn't going to stab us in the back?" Bit: "Brad, think for a second about how you would feel if you were fighting someone you thought was evil and you were getting support and it turned out that the people who were helping you were really the evil ones and they were using you?" Brad: "Point taken but I'm surprised that you would be so nice to this guy after he tried to kill you." Bit: "You're not the only one. I guess I just understand what was going through his head or something."  
  
Jamie: "John, how are we supposed to fix the Zero X? The back's blown out and we don't know how it works." John: "I know how it works." Jamie: "What?" John: "The idea of putting turbines on the backs of zoids is older than you think, heck I thought of putting some on the Zero Phantom but decided against it." Jamie: "Why?" John: "Not enough room." As they were talking Ted walked into the Whale King's hanger wearing a slightly baggy black Pilot's suit. John: "That thing fit okay?" Ted: "Yeah, thanks." Ted had changed out of the suit he had been given and he had to admit he felt better now that he wasn't wearing it. Vega was over by the Light Wing and his Berserk Fury watching as the two large cables in their back restored power to them. Jamie: "So, Vega. You really know where the base is?" Vega nodded. Jamie: "Well then tell us." Vega: "Can't." Jamie: "Why not." Vega: "You might leave without me." Bit: "I wouldn't let them." Vega: "They might leave you too." Bit: "What?!" Vega: "I already told you I want Fire Wind destroyed and I think I made it clear I have a grudge against them now and so do you. The others might be worried you and I will do something stupid and get ourselves killed so they might leave us behind." John: "C'mon we won't do that." Vega: "I didn't say I thought you would but I'm not taking any chances." Jamie: "Alright."  
  
Brad: "So what exactly are we going to do?" John: "Simple. We attack their base and break in. Bit and Vega get to the leaders and kill them while we take pictures and grab evidence while blowing the place to kingdom come. After that Bit and Dr. Layon make tracks and we tell the police how Bit approached us a few days earlier, told us the situation and we just couldn't say no to an old friend. Ted backs us on this and after some messy trials we get out smelling like roses and every last member of Fire Wind left alive goes to jail." Leon: "Do really think it will be that simple?" John: "I said the plan was simple what actually happens is bound to be very complicated." Jamie: "I get the feeling this is going to be a big headache." John: "Maybe, but it will be worth it."  
  
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After two days of working the group of six zoids ran across rock terrain towards the base of Fire Wind. John: "Damn, how did I miss this?" Leon: "Miss what?" John: "Fire Wind's base being in this place. It's so obvious!" Brad: "I don't follow." John: "This place is a national land mark and no one really comes out here. There are clouds blanketing the sky all year round and this area was once volcanic so it's rich in zoidmagnite, iron, copper, tin and a bunch of other metals." Bit: "So?" John: "Zoidmagnite gives off a weird signal that blocks radar and screws up satellite images and radio communication at long ranges. All though there are a lot of areas like this it would make sense that they are here." Vega: "It doesn't matter. We just need to take out Fire Wind and that will be the end of it."  
  
Jamie and John: "Holy shit!!!" Bit: "What is it!?" Jamie: "There's no base..." John: "Just a giant crater..." Vega: "Giant crater...?" John: "They lifted the whole base into the air!!!"  
  
Up ahead there was exactly what John and Jamie said. Nothing but an enormous crater over two miles in diameter that was not on any map of the area.  
  
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S.D. Weird huh? Knuckles: Well that's it. S.D. Sorry this chapter was a little shorter than most of the chapters have been lately. I hate to tell you all this but the next chapter is probably going to be late too. Knuckles: Please don't kill us. S.D. Until Next time! Knuckles: We'll be back! 


	13. Run

S.D. Hey everybody. Steam Detective here. Knuckles: And I'm Knuckles. S.D. If you all don't know that by now you haven't been paying attention. As you can see I actually got this one up on time. Knuckles: Don't expect the next few chapters to come so fast though. S.D. Starting with answering some things first, I probably didn't stress this fact very much but the dome the guys were battling in last time was big and by which I mean huge. Second, the reason no one noticed Fire Wind's base taking off is simple, no one was looking for it and no one lives remotely near where it was. Third, although I'm sure I've seen stuff like it in a few places I made up the whole Fire Wind's base lifting up thing as a way to heighten the drama and not make the story come to a conclusion to abruptly. Finally we are actually grinding down to the last chapter here so you all know what that means. Knuckles: You're going to slack off for the rest of the summer? S.D. No! ...Well yes, but I'm still going to post a few more things before the summer is out. It's almost time for my reviewers acknowledgement where I personally thank all those who have reviewed my story. I did that back in chapter four and said I wouldn't do it again until the end of the chapter ya know. Knuckles: Oh, right, I remember now. S.D. Good well enjoy the chapter. No seriously enjoy it like I said we're almost to the last one.  
  
Losing the Soul  
  
Chapter 13: Run  
  
The six warriors looked at the enormous crater before them. None one said a word all were to paralyzed to say anything for nearly five minutes. Bit and Vega had a look of both great disappointment and anger on their faces both of them having been deprived of their revenge. Ted: "...but...how...?" Leon: "Vega, explain." Vega: "I wish I could." Brad: "Was this all a setup?!" John: "That makes no sense Brad, the Fuma Team had Bit and Ted cornered. Sparing them just to kill them later makes no sense. Besides, Light Wing's scanners say this crater is only a few hours old." Bit: "Damn them! If only we'd gotten here earlier!" Jamie: "There was no way we could have Bit." Vega: "Now I remember..." Ted: "Remember what?" Vega: "I told you guys I was a prisoner in their base but I managed to sneak out several times. The only way to kill time was to learn ways of escape and not be caught. I went around the whole base and got very good at stealth and breaking locks and even computer codes but there were certain areas I was never able to break into and they were big areas too." Brad: "So?" Vega: "Those areas were easily big enough to have things like engines and other things capable of lifting something of that size." Jamie: "But that's impossible. The base is huge how would they power something like that?" Vega: "Fire Wind's been experimenting with just about everything in the last eight years. Power sources were something they delved their science divisions into."  
  
John: "Uh, guys. I hate to interrupt but we have a problem." Leon: "What now?" John: "Light Wing's scanners are picking up a massive amount of zoids heading our way." Bit: "So what? Vega can just blow them all away." Vega: "I could but I'm not going to." Bit: "What?! Why?" Vega: "The only people who are going to die today are Fire Wind's mindless minions and no one else." John: "I think it be better if he didn't shoot them anyway." Jamie: "Why?" John: "Every zoid belonging to a specific army, militia, company or otherwise has a unique signal that comes up on radar and the ones I'm picking up are from the police departments of about fifty different cities, the Republican army, the ZBC and the Guardian Force." Bit: "What?!" Brad: "Shit, it's a trap!" Ted: "And we fell for it hook, line and sinker!" Vega: "C'mon! We need to get out of here now!" John: "We have to hurry we're being surrounded!" Leon: "From what direction?!" John: "Behind us!" Brad: "No!" Leon: "John, which way will take us longer going through that crater or around?!" John: "I dunno? That crater's deep but..." Bit: "Hurry!" John: "You guys'll have to go around it!  
  
The four zoids on the ground began to run to the left side of the gargantuan crater while the flyers got ready to go over it. John: "Hold on a second Bit." Light Wing descended on the Liger and lifted him into the air. John: "You're taking the short route." Jamie: "I think now might be a good time to try that." Two grabber cables descended from the sides of the Raynos and picked up the Zero X. Ted: "Not that I don't appreciate the lift but why me?" Jamie: "Easy, Vega can get away much faster than anyone else and if only Leon and Brad are found I think they could weasel their way out of the police's grasp but if you and Bit are here they'll arrest everyone on the spot." Ted: "Huh?" John: "One of the companies Fire Wind controls probably tipped them off about this and they probably didn't say who else was here so they're only looking for Bit and the Liger and if you're here too they might suspect something." Ted: "Oh." Leon: "We'll meet back at Dr. Layon's, okay?" Bit: "Right."  
  
The two airborne units along with their passengers went off over the crater at top speed while the Berserk Fury activated it's boosters and went on ahead. Brad: "C'mon Leon, they probably won't be able to arrest us if they catch us but I don't want to have to think of some crazy story to get us off the hook." Leon: "Just try to keep up." Leon activated the Blade Liger's boosters and took off ahead of Brad. Brad: "Show off."  
  
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Miles above the ground a monstrous fortress hovered in the clouds. The menacing black fortress was enormous consisting of several large cylindrical structures, a large structure that looked like the old Back Draft building, hangers and many various other shapes and parts connected by pipes and powered by gargantuan engines on the bottom of the structure.  
  
Voice4: "Well, now what?" Altile: "We wait. Our surveillance teams will report any and all zoids leaving the omega flux zone." Voice7: "But how are we going to continue operations up here?" Altile: "We can't and we won't. As soon as the authorities arrest Bit Cloud we will land the bass at one of our pre-selected locations. I imagine that everyone will be to busy apprehending Cloud to even notice us." Voice2: "But what we can't let him live. Bit Cloud knows too much and if he is captured he will talk." Altile: "Which is why he will not be taken alive and why our own forces are with them to make sure certain accidents happen so they will be killed." Voice6: "For all our sakes I hope this works. If this fails I hate to think what will happen." Altile: "It won't fail. We've come to close to lose it all now."  
  
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Layon: "Back so soon?" John: We ran into some problems." Light Wing dropped the Liger on the ground and then landed next to it while the Raynos did the same with the Zero X. Layon: "Where are the others?" Jamie: "They're coming." Bit: "There was a problem with storming their base." Layon: "Which was?" Ted: "There wasn't one anymore." Layon: "What?!" John: "It would seem that Fire Wind's base has the ability to take off and land. When we got there all that we found was a giant crater." Layon: "But why did you all separate?" Jamie: "It was a trap. The police from a bunch of different cities, the army, the Guardian Force and the ZBC were all there coming to get us." John: "We think Fire Wind had one of there companies leak that we'd be there so Jamie and I went on ahead taking Bit and Ted so if Leon and Brad got caught they wouldn't be able to do anything to them." Brad: "Did someone mention us?" The Shadow Fox and the Blade Liger appeared at the Whale King. Jamie: "That was fast." Bit: "C'mon, we need to figure out what we're going to do next." Leon: "Where's Vega?" Vega: "Here." The Fury seemed to have appeared out of thin air behind the Fox and Blade Liger. Vega: "I would have been here sooner but Fury's engines began to over heat and it moves slowly on foot." Dr. Layon walked back into the Whale King and all of the zoids followed.  
  
Everyone gathered in the Whale King's control room. Layon: "Well now what?" Leon: "This is a big problem." Ted: "We don't know where they are or where they're going." John: "We could go looking for it. You guys saw how big that crater was, I doubt they could hide something that big in the air." Jamie: "He's right, the police and everyone else don't know we're involved and probably the only reason no one's spotted the Fire Wind base is because no one's looking for it." Vega: "I might know where they are." Bit: "Where?" Vega: "They'll try and find another spot like the last one they had so they can't be detected and they have to do it while everyone is looking for us." John: "One problem with that is that there are dozens of places like that. In the last hundred fifty years there's been a lot of seismic activity in many different places making things like zoidmagnate appear in large quantity with lots of other metals around that amplify the sort of wave they give off in its purist form." Layon: "I think we should discuss this later." Brad: "Why?" Layon: "Because...we've got bigger problems." Layon brought up a screen showing what had to be thousands of zoids heading towards the Whale King.  
  
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Voice8: "Well I'll be damned." Voice5: "Dr. Layon's old Whale King." Voice2: "Then that could mean that Dr. Layon has been assisting Bit Cloud." Voice4: "It makes sense. The design of the Liger Zero's new armor has several similarities to the Shadow Fox and it has many technologies that would take someone of his experience to make." Voice3: And if I remember correctly Dr. Layon had a violent infatuation with Leena Cloud's mother and Leena Cloud herself bore an almost exact likeness making Layon quite found of her." Voice6: "So it would make perfect sense for him to help Bit Cloud find out and punish who was behind her murder." Altile: "It does seem that way but it matters little. There is no where left to run. The forces that have gathered will soon surround the old Whale King and they will be unable to escape."  
  
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Bit: "Shit! They must have been watching us!" Ted: "Now what do we do?" Vega: "I could blow them all away." Brad: "I thought you said you weren't going to do that?" Vega: "I did but we had another option that had nothing to do with giving ourselves up." John: "This is a problem. We could escape in the aerial zoids we have but we could be easily shot down." Jamie: "We're at the end of our rope." Layon: "Then there's no where to go but up." Everyone but Layon: "Huh?"  
  
A massive group of König Wolves, Command Wolves, Rev Raptors, Cannon Tortoises, Gun Blasters, Pteraces, Redlers, Shield Ligers, Saber Tigers and a whole menagerie of other zoids waited outside the Whale King. The Whale King had closed its mouth and the part where the mid-section was missing was blocked off by steel plates so there was no way in. Unknown Pilot: "Attention! All of you in the Whale King are to come out now and surrender peacefully or we will use force!" Everyone waited to see what would happen. After five minutes they finally decided to go in. As a few Command Wolves cautiously walked closer the ground began to shake and an odd whining noise could be heard that sounded a lot like turbines. The missing section of the Whale King flashed a few times before reveling that it was completely repaired. Pilot: "My God, it's taking off!"  
  
Layon: Ha, ha, ha, ha! Yes that's it! Rise, my Great Whale King!" The Whale King rose slowly off the ground. The turrets swiveled around to shoot down the Pteraces and Redlers around it before taking and flying away. Layon: "It works! It works!" Bit: "Oh yeah, I forgot that you were repairing this thing." John: "This little victory may be short lived guys." Brad: "What do you mean?" John: "Dr. Layon! Please tell me you put a shield on this thing!" Layon: "Well yes, but why-" John: "Raise it now!" Layon: "Alright already keep your shirt on." Dr. Layon fiddled with the controls for a second and a massive shield formed around the Whale King completely shielding all parts. Leon: "An all covering shield?" Layon: "I figured on something this big a shield would have to protect the whole thing."  
  
No sooner had they finished talking than four large blue beams descended from the sky and hit the Whale King. Bit: "What the fuck!" Vega: "What the hell was that?!" Layon: "John, explain!" John: "Didn't it ever occur to any of you that the Judge Satellites have Plasma Particle Cannons mounted on them?!" Brad: "The Judge Satellites?!" John: "They never used them before because if they had Bit and the Liger would have been obliterated and they wanted him alive. Besides that the Liger was to small a target to effectively lock on to." Ted: "Damn! We might as well have a bull's-eye painted on us!" Jamie: Isn't there something we can do?!" Leon: "Shit, we're screwed." John: "Maybe not. Doc! Head for where the Fire Wind base was!"  
  
The Whale King changed direction and started heading for the area where Fire Wind's base had been with Plasma Particle beams continuing to strike at the shield.  
  
Layon: "Almost out of shield energy!" John: "Keep going!" Brad: "Crap! They're going to arrest us all!" Bit: "No, we've come too far to quit!" Layon: "Shields at 20% power! 14%! 6%! 2%! Shields are gone!" Everyone but John: Ahh!!!" Jamie: "Huh?" Leon: What?" Ted: "It stopped..." Layon: "Of course! They can't keep track of our movement here because of the omega flux!" John: "Finally, someone gets it!" Bit: "John, you smart son of a bitch!" Leon: "I hate to put a damper on the festivities but now they'll probably send flyers to pin point our location." Jamie: "He's right!" John: "I thought they might. Dr. Layon, get the shields back." Ted: "How's that going to help?" John: "It won't. It's for security measures only, I have another plan. Doc, as soon as the shields are back I need us to leave the area to use the protected line to my house."  
  
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Altile: "They're hiding." Voice4: "In the former location of our base no less." Voice6: "How ironic." Voice5: "What now?" Altile: "Isn't it obvious? We help the coalition forces search for them. They can only hide for so long." Voice3: "This very is exciting. I wonder how our T.V. studio is doing on covering this right now." Voice5: "With a story like this every set of eyes from New Helic City to Guygalos must be glued to their T.V. sets so I imagine our ratings are doing well." Altile: "Most likely. We'll send word for our survey company to lend pilots and airborne zoids to the search. At this rate it won't be long before they're all dead."  
  
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Layon: "Power to shields restored." John: "Good. Dr. Layon, move the Whale King out of the omega flux." Layon: "Move the what?" John: "(sigh) Please move the GREAT Whale King out of the omega flux." The Whale King's shields activated and it began to move.  
  
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Meanwhile at the ZBC Ultrasaurus. Operator: "Sir!" ZBC Commissioner: "What is it?" Operator: "The Whale King is leaving the Omega flux zone!" ZBC Commissioner: "What?! Why are they doing that?!" Operator: "They seem to have regained their shield." ZBC Commissioner: "They must be trying to make a break for it. Where are they headed?" Operator: "Uncertain. They seem to be going very slow." ZBC Commissioner: "Why would they be doing that?" Operator: "Unknown. Sir, your instructions?" ZBC Commissioner: "Blow them out of the sky! They must be up to something and we'd better stop them before they can finish it."  
  
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Voice3: "They're leaving?" Voice7: "But why? That's suicide." Voice4: "They have no where to run. The nearest place that has an omega flux phenomenon is a day's flight from their current position they won't make it in time." Altile: "This is troubling. They always seem to have a trick or two up their sleeves in case of an emergency so there's no telling what they are doing." A man in black uniform came running into the room. Man: "Commander Altile!" He faced Altile and gave him a salute. Altile: "What is it?" Man: "The Whale King has a small hole in the bottom of its shield and there seems to be a communication signal going through it." Altile: "What?! Where's it going?" Man: "We have been unable to determine that, sir." Altile: "Well then find out! We can't afford to give them any opportunities to get out of this. For all we know they may be contacting the ZBC and telling them about us!" Man: "Yes, sir!" The man turned around and left.  
  
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Yuna was sitting on the couch in the family room watching the news. She was literally on the edge of her seat as she watched the police and army search for Bit and she just knew that John was involved. She jumped out of her seat when the phone rang. Yuna: "Hello?" John: "Yuna." Yuna: "Oh, John it's you. What's going on? They have the search for Bit all over the news and-" John: "Yuna, I hate to interrupt you but this is important. I need you to do something for me." Yuna: "Sure, anything." John: "Good. First, where are the kids?" Yuna: "Pete's asleep in his room and Eureka is taking her nap, why?" John: "I really don't want them to know about this. First I need you to take the head set for the phone then switch the phone from video to the head set." Yuna put the head set next to the phone on her head and flipped a switch on the video phone and John's picture disappeared. Yuna: "Okay, now what?" John: "Head to the hanger and take the elevator to the room with the N.U.C.L.S.S. computer in it."  
  
Yuna did as she was told. Quickly getting up from her seat in front of the phone she ran down the hall and went through various doors until reaching the hanger. She pressed a panel on the wall in and a control panel appeared beside it. She pushed a few buttons in and the elevator rose out of the floor. Yuna got on the large elevator and pressed a button on the elevator's control panel.  
  
Yuna entered the vaguely lit room that was lined with pipes and wires with the large N.U.C.L.S.S. computer monitor at the end. N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Good afternoon, Ms. Yuna." Yuna: "Hello N.U.C.L.S.S. Okay I'm here." John: "Alright. I need N.U.C.L.S.S. to do something but it's a secure feature so it has to be done manually so you can't use voice commands." Yuna: "What?! But I don't know how to-" N.U.C.L.S.S.: "Allow me to assist you." The computer screen flashed to a Windows desktop with a meadow background. Yuna: "Windows?" John: "I tried to make it simple."  
  
Layon: "John, I don't mean to rush you but we don't have much time!" John: "Right. Yuna, use the mouse and click on start." Yuna: "Okay, now what?" John: "Select programs and look for one called ORGLUDICROUS." Yuna: "Uh, okay. Found it!" John: "Alright. Now, when you activate the program you should get a world map of Zi. At the bottom there is a small box for running a search with the word domain over it." Yuna: "Okay, I see it." John: "Type in atmosphere." Yuna: "Okay...done." John: "Alright, you should now be looking at a 3-D map of Zi with the atmosphere highlighted. There should be another search box that says specify. Type orbit into the box." Yuna: "Alrighty. Done." John: "You should now be looking at a list of satellites that are in orbit around Zi. There is a small box next to each name. Ignore this for now. There should be another longer search box at the vary bottom of the screen but you'll have to scroll down to see it." Yuna: "Okay. I see it." John: "Type in attack, surveillance and Judge Satellites." Yuna: "Okay." John: "Now what should have popped up are the names of all the Judge Satellites and all the attack and surveillance satellites orbiting Zi. At the top right hand side of the screen there should be a box that says highlight all, click on it." Yuna: "Okay, a box that's asking if that's all just appeared." John: "Don't touch that! Click no and once you do that on the bottom left side of the screen there should be another box that says add. Click that one." Yuna: "Okay."  
  
John: "Now you should be back at the first screen. This time type in ground level." Yuna: "Okay." John: "Now type in bases and you'll get a list of all different kinds of bases. Now when you get to the search box at the bottom of the screen type in ZBC, Republican Army, Republic police and Guardian Force." Yuna: "Okay, give me a minute. Okay I'm done." John: "Okay now highlight them all. When you do that the box from earlier will show up. You'll have to click no again. When you get back to the first screen just type in Fire Wind." Yuna: "Hold on...okay." John: "You now have a list of everything Fire Wind controls. Highlight everything. Now this time click yes when that box shows up and once you do that another box will show up that asks if you are sure. Click yes." Yuna: "Okay. John it's asking for a password." John: "The password is superstitious." Yuna: "Okay. John-" John: "Click activate!" With that the computer screen flashed and all of the pipes running through the room began to light up.  
  
Over the top of the base portion of the house a giant beam of light came out and split into several different directions. The blasts went all over Zi and into space hitting all the satellites.  
  
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ZBC Commissioner: "What's going on?!" Operator: "Uncertain! All of our satellites are losing power and our bases too. What the-?!" A beam of light came straight at the Ultrasaurus. ZBC Commissioner: "Raise the shield, damn it!!!" The shield quickly covered the Ultrasaurus but the beam passed right through and hit the enormous zoid. The Ultrasaurus let out a low call and then fell to its legs and its head hit the ground. ZBC Commissioner: "What happened?!" Operator: "I don't know, sir! The Ultrasaurus seems to be incapacitated!" ZBC Commissioner: What?!"  
  
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Altile: "Incredible!" Voice7: "What just happened?!" Voice4: "How should we know?!" Voice8: "Whatever that was it seems to have rendered all of the satellites unusable." Voice5: "Does anyone else suspect that this was the doing of Cloud and his friends?" Voice2: "I think that's a little obvious." Voice6: "This might actually work in our favor. If everything is down we can attack them ourselves." Altile: "Somehow I don't think we can." Voice3: "Why not?" Voice7: "Probably because of that!" On the screen, the images from one of their reconnaissance zoids showed a large beam of light heading toward it. The screen went to static. Voice6: "Oh..." Altile: "What could have caused that I wonder."  
  
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Bit: "What the hell was that?!" Layon: "I'll tell ya what it was, it was incredible!!" Brad: "But what just happened?!" Leon: "John, explain!" John: "Hold on a second. Yuna you can go back now, thanks." Yuna: "You're welcome, sweet heart." John: "That was the Ludicrous System." Jamie: "Ludicrous System?" John: "It sends a signal similar to an EMP surge out. I used some of the technology from Light Wing to design that beam thing. To be blunt, what it does is shut down any kind of computer system anywhere on Zi even zoids." Ted: "Which means...?" John: "Which means we're now free to make our getaway without being watched or attacked." Layon: "That's great but where are we going?" John: "I have someplace in mind."  
  
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ZBC Commissioner: "What's taking so long?! We've been down for hours!" Operator: "Sorry sir but the crew is working with flash lights here. To make matters worse it looks like there's nothing wrong with the Ultrasaurus it just won't start." Suddenly the lights began to flicker and the computers came back on line. The Ultrasaurus began to rise to its feet. ZBC Commissioner: "Finally it's fixed." Operator: "We're getting a message from the repair team and it seems they don't know why the Ultrasaurus is coming back on line." ZBC Commissioner: "That's strange. What about the satellites?" Operator: "They're all back too." ZBC Commissioner: "What about the Whale King?" Operator: "It seems to have moved while the systems were down." ZBC Commissioner: "What? Why am I not surprised?"  
  
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Altile: "Curses! There's no telling were they are!" Voice4: "It would make sense to stay where they were. No one would start by looking there." Voice2: "Perhaps but it's just as likely they moved." Voice8: "This, of course, means we'll have to send troops everywhere to find them." Voice5: "Easier said then done. The areas that have omega fluxes are huge and even something of the Whale King's size is easy to miss." Voice6: "We have no choice we can't just wait for Bit Cloud to start attacking us." Voice3: "Let us not forget they are looking for us as well." Altile: "Yes I believe searching for them may be the best solution now. Knowing Layon he won't just abandon that Whale King of his so they have no choice but to look for a place that can hide it."  
  
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Leon: "John, you didn't plan all of this out in advance, did you?" John: "Sort of." Bit: "Whatever, the important thing is that we got away." Jamie came running into the control room. Jamie: "Hey John it's done." John: "Good." Layon: "This might be a bad idea." Vega: "We can't wait any longer. When I was held captive I couldn't help but get the feeling that they were nearing the end of their plans." Ted: "He's got a point. I don't know what those Fire Wind guys are planning but the companies they control have been around for a while and let's face it, Bit didn't get all of their supplies." John: "Right, so this has to get going now." Brad: "But won't they pick up our signal here?" John: "Hell no. There hasn't been any sort of settlement here since after the Guylos War when the only village here was destroyed and the fog of Mt. Iscolena will actually work to mask the origin of our signal."  
  
[  
  
Operator: "Sir!" ZBC Commissioner: "What is it?" Operator: "We're receiving an unusual signal and it seems to be overriding the systems!" ZBC Commissioner: "What?! Can't you stop it?!" Operator: "No sir! We're trying but nothing's happening!" Operator2: "Sir! You might want to have a look at this!" A screen popped up in the middle of the Ultrasaurus control desk and began flashing pages of information and schematics and a random assortment of lists. ZBC Commissioner: "Well what is it?!" Operator2: "It seems to be data referring to some sort of underground crime organization." Operator3: "Sir! Look!" ZBC Commissioner: "What?! It can't be! The Back Draft organization!!!"  
  
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Police stations and military bases all over the Republic area and parts of the Empire were receiving this information blowing the lid off Fire Wind.  
  
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Altile: "No! No! Those bastards! They're telling the whole world about us! Voice4: "Where the hell are they?! Voice7: "Our sources can't pin point them!" Voice2: "Damn them!" Voice8: "Commander, what do we do now?!" Altile: "First, everyone calm down! I hate to say it but we have no choice but to accelerate our plans." Voice3: "But Commander!" Altile: "No buts! We have no choice!"  
  
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Everyone back on the Whale King was busy laughing their heads off. Bit: "Ha, ha, ha! Let's see them hide now!" Jamie: "Everyone in the military must have their jaws dropped right now!" Brad: "Now they won't be able to hide anymore!" Ted: "Um...guys." Everyone began to regain control of themselves. Leon: "What is it Ted?" Ted: "That." Everyone looked in horror as the image of a city came on screen as it was being destroyed by waves of D-Manti. Layon: "Oh my God..."  
  
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The scene was the same all over the continent as all buildings of companies controlled by Fire Wind began releasing their zoids and sending out a message to all of their troops that their plans had been accelerated. Whole cities were being attacked and demolished by the Fire Wind zoids. Whole mountains and large fields crumbled to reveal launch sites that quickly began launching old Dark Judge Satellites and new red Fire Judge Satellites including a giant one the size of the ZBC's mega satellite that they had launched at the end of the Royal Cup.  
  
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Everyone on the Whale King looked blankly at the screen. Layon: "How did we miss all of that...?" Leon: "Good God, they're everywhere." John: "Guys, I hate to say it but it looks as if we just opened Pandora's Box."  
  
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S.D. That's right I'm leaving you on this huge cliff hanger. Knuckles: Sorry but we're all out of time. S.D. I'll try and get the next chapter up as fast as I can. Remember, I'm sort of sorry to say it but the next chapter or the chapter after that may be the last. See ya. Knuckles: We're outta here! 


	14. Resist

-No one is on Angel Island-.... (cricket chirp) S.D. and Knuckles come sliding in. S.D. Hey we're back! (hurried voice) LooksorryfortakingsolongbutIhitawritersblockand mycomputercrashedandIcouldn't remembermypasswordand,and,and......and why is everyone staring at us?!?!?! Knuckles: Perhaps it's the fact that we're wearing Hawaiian shirts, sunglasses, straw hats and holding coconut drinks with little umbrellas in them. S.D. What? Oh dang do we still have that stuff?! Crud (tosses off straw hat). Okay you got us we've been on vacation. I've actually been at home for the whole summer but I was spending my time enjoying myself, not that I don't enjoy writing this story. I meant to have this done by now but I've been feeling a major lack of motivation through the summer and, for all of you who could understand my jumbled ramblings before, I was telling the truth about a having writers block. Knuckles: But luckily for all of you this is probably our longest chapter yet. S.D. Right, so sit back, relax and enjoy the story!

**Losing the Soul**

Chapter 14: Resist

Everyone stared blankly at the screen, watching the numerous Fire Wind zoids attack, destroy and take over towns and cities at a rapid pace. Layon: "But...but how?" Brad: "What's going on?!" Brad spun around and grabbed John by the collar with his right hand. Brad: "How the hell did you miss all that?!" Brad pointed to the screen with his left hand. John: "I...I...I don't know." Bit: "Brad, put him down!" Brad: "Damn it, look at what's happening! You guys were supposed to have everything under control!" Leon: "This is no one's fault, now put John down." Brad let out a low growl and released John. John: "How could they have done this right under our noses? It doesn't make any sense...unless. Dr. Layon!" Layon: "What?" John: "Can you run a search on all of the places Fire Wind has launched zoids and satellites from?" Layon: "I think so you'll have to wait a second." Jamie: "Why do you need to know that?" John: "You'll see."

Layon: "Got em'!" John: "Let me see. I thought so." Ted: "What is it?" John: "After the Royal Cup that Bit and you guys competed in was complete the Back Draft was defeated and the ZBC went on a witch hunt of sorts to smoke out all remaining members and hidden bases." Vega: "But they didn't catch all of them." John: "Exactly. I'll bet a lot of those bases are old Back Draft bases which would explain why there were some old Dark Judge satellites being launched." Leon: "But that doesn't account for all of them, does it?" John: "No it doesn't, but I recognize a lot of the locations on the map. After the Guylos war a lot of people in the two nations were still pretty nervous so the two governments formed the Guardian Force and built many new bases too keep the peace and ease the minds of the people. Only a few decades later many of those bases were abandoned." Bit: "So you're saying that a lot of the places that Fire Wind's been hiding supplies and stuff are all old military bases?" John: "Pretty much." Ted: "Wait that still doesn't explain how we missed them all." Vega: "They kept all information about those out of their computers to hide them just like they did with their main base." Brad: "All right so now what?" Bit: "Now we go kick some Fire Wind ass!" Jamie: "C'mon, I want to stop them too but we can't just rush in!" John: "Actually Bit may be right." Leon: "Excuse me?" John: "This is kinda our fault even though it was going to happen eventually so we should try and help them out."

Altile: "Beautiful." Voice6: "The plan is going off without a hitch." Voice3: "Who would have guessed that the interference that Bit Cloud and his friends would have aided us, the military and everyone else was so busy trying to find them and get their systems back online that they were totally unprepared for our attack." Voice8: "We must remember to send them a muffin basket later ha, ha, ha!" Altile: "Yes of course but we're going to need the address for hell first considering they'll have already settled into their fiery new home by the time we get around to it." Voice5: True but now is not the time to relax. We must press on with our plans and have them completed as soon as possible. We cannot allow even a small window for Bit Cloud or anyone else to snatch victory away from us." Voice2: "This is true. We are at a very delicate time in our plans and there are so many variables that could send the whole thing to hell so we can't relax just yet." Voice7: "Commander, what next?" Altile: "Simple we crush all of the military forces that could stop us and try to find where Layon's Whale King has gone off to. Send word to the soldiers to try and keep the head of the ZBC alive. After the destruction of the Back Draft I think he deservers special treatment."

****

ZBC Commissioner: "Gentlemen, the situation is grave. As we have seen the Back Draft group, or Fire Wind as they now refer to themselves as, have launched several satellites into orbit that are currently locked in combat with our own Judge satellites removing them as an option to fight the ground forces that have begun to lay waste to several cities. I just finished speaking with the heads of the Republic army, Imperial army and Guardian Force. Unfortunately due to our scramble trying to find the Whale King Bit Cloud escaped in our forces have been spread out and my not reach any of the attacked areas in time." Operator4: "But sir, what about all the bases around the targeted areas?" ZBC Commissioner: "Unfortunately in spite of the fact that many of them still have several zoids left they too are under attack and can hardly defend themselves at the moment." Operator: "The good news is that the Empire isn't having the same problems we are though they are still having a lot of difficulty."

ZBC Commissioner: "I hate to ask but, does anyone have any ideas?" Layon: "I have one." Dr. Layon suddenly appeared on a holo-screen. Operator3: "How did you open a channel here?!" Layon: "That's not important right now. I've been listening and I think I may have a solution." ZBC Commissioner: "...I have a feeling I'm going to regret this but, what is it?" Operator2: "Sir, you can't be serious!" ZBC Commissioner: "What choice so we have?! Our forces haven't returned, the ones that are left are being held back, the Republic army is in the same boat and the Empire can't do anything to help us right now!" Layon: "Precisely. Which leads me to my plan. As you can see standing behind me are several pilots all of which are top notch. You'll quickly recognize Bit Cloud considering he's been a thorn in your sides for the last six years. Former Class S warrior and pilot of the Liger Zero Phantom. Next we have John Dragoon who is a current Class S warrior and pilot of the Light Wing Dragon. After him we have Vega Obscura the greatest pilot the Back Draft had and pilot of the Berserk Fury. Next is Leon Tauros, another member of the currently debunked Blitz Team and a top Class A warrior and pilot of a Red Blade Liger. Jamie Hemeros another former Class S warriors and pilot of a Raynos. Brad Hunter is also a Class A warrior and pilot of the Shadow Fox and then we have Ted Hawkings who was the best pilot in his police squadron and pilot of the Liger Zero X, a copy of the Liger Zero. These are some of the best pilots in the world and could easily free the bases that are at siege."

ZBC Commissioner: "Mind if I ask what they're all doing on your ship?" John: "I'll fill that one. A few weeks ago Bit approached Brad, Leon, Jamie and myself and asked for our help in fighting Fire Wind. Dr. Layon had found that the time to attack them was drawing closer and that help would be needed. Vega has a grudge against Fire Wind which he hasn't yet explained and Officer Hawkings was tricked into fighting us by Fire Wind so he too would like revenge." Operator: "But why are you there?" John: "I'm an old friend of Bit. I hadn't seen him since his wedding, but we've always been friends and to be honest I was just glad to hear that he was fighting Fire Wind rather than being a crook." Layon: "Back to what was being discussed, we could easily free the bases that are being attacked and help defend the cities that are being taken over until your reinforcements arrive." ZBC Commissioner: "That sounds reasonable, but what's the catch?" Layon: "There is no catch. As you saw from the data you received earlier we have been gathering evidence against Fire Wind and disrupting their supply lines in order to stop them. I think it's obvious we want and need to stop them from taking over the military organizations in order to continue our pursuit of them." ZBC Commissioner: "Hmmm...very well. We'll give you the data of the bases that need help right now and thus take first priority." Operator3: "Sir!?" ZBC Commissioner: "Don't argue with me! We don't have time to be squabbling right now. Display the data on screen." Operator2: "...yes sir."

****

Layon: "Alright guys we've got the data so let's move out." Jamie: "Hey Doc, are the Whale King's stealth shields ready?" Layon: "The what's stealth shields?" Jamie: "(sigh) Are the GREAT Whale King's stealth shields ready?" Layon: "As a matter of fact they are. With them we can't be spotted on radar so the only way they can find us is if they see us coming and it's gonna be dark in a few hours."

Jamie: "Right. Guys I may have been out of the loop for awhile but I came up with a strategy for our attack." Leon: "That was fast." Jamie: "Well it's not very detailed and you'll be making most of it up yourselves so don't start praising me yet. Alright listen up. We're going to split into teams. Bit, Brad, Leon and Ted will be one team, John and I will be another and I figured Vega would want to go on his own." Vega: "No objections here." Jamie: "Good. Okay so here's the plan John and I will take off from the Whale King-" Layon: "Ahem!" Jamie: "The GREAT Whale King carrying Vega with us. John will drop Vega off at his designated area while he and I go off to ours. The Great Whale King will land and at your target point, Bit, and drop all you off. Everyone starts with the most important bases and clears out the Fire Wind soldiers and then goes to the next target which, after you free the more important bases, is up to you. We'll all meet here in this canyon after we clear out the bases and then begin clearing out the cities until the coalition forces arrive upon which we'll scatter. We'll figure out where the Fire Wind base is after that." Bit: "Good plan Jamie." Jamie: "I figured. You guys always do what you want anyway so I decided I'd try and organize it a little."

****

Moments later in the Whale King's hanger everyone was getting ready for the attack. John: "Alright guys I've outfitted every one of your zoids with a stealth device. It's nothing fancy just something that will keep you off radar. I also installed jamming equipment in your zoids. We need to jam the enemies signal so they can't radio for help or warn anyone else we're coming. Everyone got that?" Vega, Bit, Brad, Leon, Ted: "Yeah we got it." Jamie: "Good." John: "Vega, we're leaving first so get in your zoid." Vega: "Right." Ted: "He doesn't say much does he?" Bit: "Didn't used to be like that." John, Jamie and Vega all climbed into their zoids. Jamie: "Doc, open the Great Whale King's mouth." Layon: "Roger." With that the Whale King's mouth opened enough to let the warriors out. John: "Here we go!" Light Wing lifted of the floor of the hanger and then picked up the Berserk Fury. The Raynos' engines fired up and flew out of the hanger with Light Wing following.

****

Outside the Whale King the three zoids tore through the sky at break-neck speed. Jamie: "Wow John, I'm impressed Light Wing can still keep up with the Raynos while carrying the Fury." John: "Not surprising. Light Wing has a top speed of mach 3.1 so even with the Fury's added weight it still goes at least as fast as your Raynos." Vega: "Enough chatting, how long before we get to my target area?" John: "Roughly twenty to thirty minutes." Jamie: "Remember be careful about hitting the soldiers." Vega: "Don't worry the only ones who will die at my hands are Fire Wind's lackeys."

****

Leon: "Think they'll be alright?" Brad: "Sure, why not?" Bit: "You know Jamie and John are really careful people and Vega's got plenty of skill." Ted: "No one needs to tell me that after seeing him fight back in that dome." Leon: "Yeah I guess you're right, but what happens after this?" Brad: "That's easy, we start looking for where Fire Wind transplanted their base." Leon: "I know that, but how are we gonna find it?" Ted: "Even easier, John and Dr. Layon already have a list of all the different places with Omega Fluxes so just search em." Leon: "But there are dozens of them not to mention there's no guarantee that they went to another place with an Omega Flux." Brad: "C'mon where else would they go?" Leon: "I don't know but we managed to hide in some place else and it's gonna be obvious we'll be looking in places like that so maybe they had a backup plan." Bit: "So what? We'll find em anyways." Leon: "But we're running out of time. The ZBC and the military are going to get involved after this and Fire Wind will just disband and disappear before returning years later only the next time they'll be more careful." Ted: "Oh damn! He's right." Bit: "I know all about that guys but this is gonna take awhile to blow over so we've got time. Let's just hope someone comes up with an idea before it runs out."

****

Jamie: "John? John!" John: "(yawn) What is it?" Jamie: "We're approaching Vega's target area." John: "Huh? Oh right! Vega, you ready?" Vega: "Yes." John: "Okay!" Jamie: "Hey I don't see anyplace to land." John: "Who said we were gonna land?" Jamie: "What?!" John: "Vega." Vega: "Activating thrusters." The Berserk Fury's thrusters opened and started up. John: "Release!" The Fury suddenly dropped from Light Wing and slowly descended down over the rocky terrain. Jamie: "John, I really wish you'd tell me about these things first." John: "If I did you would have argued. Besides if we had landed first then let Vega go we would be risking being seen." Jamie: "Whatever. C'mon at this rate it will be dark before we reach our destination."

****

The Fury came to a surprisingly smooth landing in the mountains. Vega: "Hmm if the map John gave me is correct the base should be just north of here. We need to get around to the side so we don't hit anything but Fire Wind zoids." The Fury let out a low roar before moving forward through the narrow mountain pass.

Vega: "There they are." The Fury stood on a cliff overlooking a small base up against a rocky wall surrounded by Saber Tigers and Gordosaurs. Vega: "If we get around to the side we can blast most of them away without hitting any military soldiers."

****

Layon on Intercom: "We're approaching our destination." Bit: "Great, but how are you gonna get us in without being seen?" Layon: "Who said I'd be taking you all the way in? You guys are gonna walk." Bit: "Huh?" Leon: "Shoulda' seen that coming." The Whale King landed next to a canyon wall and opened its mouth to let the three Ligers and the Fox run out. Layon on Intercom: "Good luck!" Ted: "Easy for him to say." Bit: "Quit complaining, we've got work to do." As the four zoids went off the Whale King lifted into the air again and left.

****

Soldier1: "Sir! We can't hold them back much longer!" Commander: "Damn it, I know that, but we have to hold out until our deployed units return!" In front of a base backed against a cliff a mass of zoids fought off enemy troops that surrounded the base. The Command Wolves, Shield Ligers, Godoses, Gordosaurs and a small number of Gojulases fought back an army of Saber Tigers, Molgas, D-Manti, Hel Cats and Iron Kongs that numbered easily three times their own forces. Large heavy guns and missile launchers on the base hammered the enemy forces but they kept advancing, acting completely unfazed. Soldier2: "God damn it! We'll be wiped out by the time they get back!" Commander: "We have to keep trying!!!" The Republic army's forces looked like a thin line of white and blue blurs compared to the swarm of black, red and green zoids of Fire Wind.

The battle raged on between the two sides, but the carnage was suddenly broken by three large beams cutting through the Fire Wind troops. D-Mantis Pilot: "What the hell was that!?" Tiger Pilot: "Charge particle beams!?" Soldier2: "What the hell just happened?" Commander: "Not sure, but I'd say someone up there likes us." Vega: "Not up there over here." Almost every zoid turned its head to the cliffs to see the menacing Berserk Fury anchored to the ground and charging up another cannon assault. Molga Pilot1: "Vega?!" Molga Pilot2: "What's he doing here?!?!?!" Soldier3: "Vega Obscura...??? I thought he was on their side." The Fury fired again. Soldier1: "Apparently not."

The Fury continued to fire, using its high vantage point wipe out dozens of enemy zoids at once. Iron Kong Commander: "Crap! Attention, everyone not currently engaged with the enemy, shell the Berserk Fury!!!" A hail of bullets, missiles and laser fire flew at the Fury, creating a huge cloud of dust and smoke. The barrage went on for over a minute. Hel Cat Pilot: "Did we get him?" Three more particle blasts erupted from the large cloud of smoke and ash, taking out another fifty troops. Molga Pilot3: "Oh, you've got to be kidding!!!" The smoke cleared revealing the Berserk Fury with no damage, charging up another salvo. Molga Pilot4: "But how?!" Vega: "What's the matter, never heard of shields?" The Fury fired again. "All you did was give me cover for another attack." Iron Kong Commander: "Damn it!!! All heavy fire zoids fire on the Fury!!!" Soldier2: "Damn this is confusing." Vega: "What are you idiots doing? You should be taking advantage of the confusion not standing there." Soldier3: "Hey!" Commander: "No, he's right! All units resume attack!!!" Vega: "Looks like they're not going to risk giving us another dust cloud to hide in. Oh well, the ground here probably couldn't support our weight much longer anyway." The Fury began running along side the cliff it had been attacking from and started shooting the zoids firing at him with one of the claws on its back.

****

Brad: "So that's what we're up against?" Leon: "More enemies than I thought there'd be." The four looked at the battlefield from a distance and gawked at the sheer volume of zoids completely surrounding the GF base. The complex stood in the middle of a large field and was firing wildly at the advancing zoids while its own did there best to hold them back. Ted: "Fat lot a' good those gun blasters and König Wolves are doing em' now." Bit: "Just be happy there aren't any aerial zoids around." Brad: "Maybe we should wait for the base to stop firing missiles first or the blasts could hit us." Ted: "I'm with Brad, not much we can do dead." Bit: "Ah, yer all a bunch of whiners. The explosions and smoke will make great cover!" Brad: "Are you insane?!" Bit: "I think we both know the answer to that. Ted, Leon, open your blades." With that the Zero Phantom's blades flipped out and the Zero X and Blade Liger quickly followed suit. Bit: "Okay guys, we're gonna run through them and cut down as many as possible. Try and stick to the back ranks if you can." Brad: "Uh, excuse me, Bit? What the hell am I supposed to do?" Bit: "That's easy. You're going to stay back here and shoot." Brad: "What?!" Bit: "Calm down, we need you to cut holes in there ranks so we can move. Besides the Shadow Fox will do better back here." Brad: "Humph! Fine I'll do it, just don't expect me to do the same for all of the bases." Bit: "Will do! Everyone turn on your jammers and energize your blades! CHARGE!!!"

Gojulas Giga Pilot: "Damn these guys are like cockroaches, you squash one and two more take its place!" König Wolf Pilot: "Kinda fitting that some of them are in insect zoids then." Elephander Pilot: "Ha, if this is all they're gonna do this will be over in another hour!" Rev Raptor Pilot1: "Don't get cocky. An animal backed into a corner is very dangerous." Dark Horn Pilot: "Ha! What are they gonna do they haven't already?!" Brad: "Not them, us." Rev Raptor Pilot2: "What the hell!!!" Zoids in the back ranks were suddenly hit by gun firing, leaving holes in the lines. Elephander Pilot: "They're coming from behind!!!" The three Ligers charged in and began cutting the Fire Wind zoids to pieces. Bit: "Stay sharp guys! Use the fire from the missiles and cannons for cover and keep moving! Step on them if you have to!" Rev Raptor Pilot3: "Damn! It's Bit Cloud!!!" Elephander Pilot: "What the hell are you guys doing back there?!?!?! Take him out!!!" Hel Digunner Pilot: "We can't! The space is to compact to move!" Dark Horn Pilot: "Damn you all, you stupid fucks!!!" Leon: "Now, now. No need to use that kind of language!"

****

Jamie: "We're approaching the ZBC base." John: "Bout' time. I nearly fell asleep." Jamie: "Nearly?" John: "Hey! When you have kids keeping them entertained takes a lot of energy!" Jamie: "Whatever. Man, the sky's so full of aerial zoids I can hardly see through them." Indeed up ahead there were so many zoids locked in aerial dog fights that they darkened the land below and nearly blotted out the setting sun. John: "Dang, I didn't think they're be this many. I'm not sure the berserk attack could take them all out." Jamie: "But what about that energy collar you put on Light Wing? I thought you said you could fire two before recharging." What appeared to be a large, thick black collar hung around Light Wing's neck for some purpose or another. John: "I can, but There's no telling how many zoids the next base will have so unless things get desperate I'm only gonna use one. Besides, it's the ground forces in front of the base that have me worried." Jamie: "Right. Do you think the cluster bombs you made can really get rid of them all?" John: "Positive. At the very least they'll take most of them out. Speaking of the cluster bombs prepare to drop in five ...four ... three ...two ...one ...DROP!!!"

The Black cylinders attached to the under side of Light Wing's and the Raynos's wings released and began falling for the mass of zoids on the ground in front of the base. As they descended they suddenly broke apart and revealed three missiles in each of the eight that had been launched. The explosions were fantastic and ferocious and completely enveloped nearly all the zoids in the enemy ranks.

Zabat Pilot1: "What the hell just happened?!" Zabat Pilot2: "The ground zoids have been bombed!" Zabat Pilot3: "Quick, radio the Whale King and call for reinforcements!" Zabat Pilot2: "I can't! We're being jammed!" Zabat Pilot3: "What?!"

Jamie: "Looks like we got em." John: "Good. Okay, targeting enemy zoids. Targets acquired." John began fiddling with Light Wing's controls and then put his hand on the black and yellow striped handle. "Charging...FIRE!!!" Light Wing let lose the infamous Berserk attack and hundreds of laser blasts began zooming towards the enemy aircrafts. Zabat Pilot4: "Holy shit!!! What the hell is that?!?!?!"

****

Brad: "Damn it! How many more of these bases do we have to do?!" The Shadow Fox lunged at a Saber Tiger and cut it in two with Strike Laser Claw. Bit: "Hey you're the one who wanted to be in the middle of battle with us!" The Liger Zero charged at an Iron Kong with the Blades on its head out and cut of its left arm, leg and its back guns. Leon: "Relax guys! We've only got a few more to do then we can go back!" The Blade Liger cut two Hel Cats down the middle. Ted: "Good! I don't know how much more of this I can take!" The Zero X blasted three D-Manti with its back guns.

****

Elephander Pilot: "AHHH!!!!!" Three charged particle beams cut through the ranks of Fire Wind zoids. Vega: "Humph! Well this has been disappointing." The Fury Suddenly spun around and thrust its whirling claw into the chest of an Iron Kong that had tried sneaking up on him. Vega: "That was the best move I've seen all day."

****

Jamie: "John! Look out!!!" Three red and black Storm Sworders were right on Light Wing's heels and about to fire. John: "Oh no you don't!" Light Wing's wings reversed position and Light Wing fell behind the enemy zoids and shot them down as they passed by. John: "Heh, who says you can't learn anything from video games?" Jamie: "You got that from a video game?" John: "Yep. Jamie, Watch it! Zabats at three o'clock!" The Raynos quickly dodged the incoming fire, turned and shot down the Zabats. Jamie: "Haven't fought these in a long time." John: "Okay, this is base four so just two more to go." Jamie: "Uh, John? I think we have another problem." John: "Huh? What are you...oh you've got to be kidding me." Three Whale Kings approached from the south and began releasing more Zabats and Storm Sworders. John: "Damn it! I'm outta' Berserks! This is going to be a long night."

****

The last D-Mantis hit the ground and Bit's team's fight was over. Bit: "Well that's that." Gojulas Pilot: "Uh, hey...thanks..." Leon: "No problem." Brad: "C'mon guys, we've got one more base. Ted: "See ya!" The Four zoids turned and left the battlefield. Ted: "So what happens when we get back?" Bit: "We relax for a little while then start looking for Fire Winds base." Leon: "Either that or we go help the cities that are under siege." Brad: "I sure as hell hope it's the first one, I really need a beer."

****

The last Whale King came crashing to the ground in flames and went out with a huge explosion. John: "(Sigh) Dang they didn't make that easy on us." Jamie: "All this zooming around at ultra sonic speed...I don't know how much more I can take." John: "Yeah me neither but we gotta keep going." Hammer Head Pilot: "You guys aren't going anywhere." John: "What?!" Several missiles flew at the Raynos and Light Wing, they tried to dodge but the missiles exploded in mid-air. Jamie: "Ahhh!!!" John: "Ungh!!!" Strom Sworder Pilot: "Don't bother trying to dodge, these missiles are made to explode at a certain distance or on impact." A group a Storm Sworders suddenly appeared overhead and began firing. Jamie: "Damn it!" John: "No way are we losing now!" Light Wing and the Raynos shot off at top speed to escape the spray of bullets but were nearly shot down by more missiles coming from the Hammer Head. John: "God damn it, this isn't good. Jamie, try to keep those guys busy, I'll take care of the Hammer Head." Jamie: "Right, don't take too long."

The Raynos began to climb while Light Wing charged back towards the Hammer Head. Hammer Head Pilot: "Ha! I can't tell if you're brave, reckless, stupid or all three! No matter. Taste somma' this!!!" The Hammer Head launched two more missiles at Light Wing that resulted in a huge explosion. Hammer Head Pilot: "Ha! Idiot! Wha-?!" Light Wing rocketed out of the cloud of smoke with its shield up. John: "What's the matter? Never seen a shield before?" Light Wing lowered its shield, turned on its side and flipped out the blades on its wings. Hammer Head Pilot: "No, no, no!" Light Wing's blade cut into the bottom of the Hammer Head leaving a huge gash along its underside. Hammer Head Pilot: "AHHHH!!!" The Hammer Head began to fall then exploded in mid-air. John: "I hate Hammer Heads. Now to help Jamie. Uh oh!"

The Raynos was caught in a ferocious dog fight with the Strom Sworder and losing badly. Jamie: "Damn it! Hold still!" The Raynos fired its guns at a Storm Sworder but it quickly moved out of the way. Jamie: "Shit...AH!!!" One Storm Sworder rammed him from the side and flew away then another one did the same. Jamie: "Damn it. They're just toying with me now." Storm Sworder Pilot2: "You got it, hot shot. AHHH!!!" One of the Storm Sworders was struck by four orange lasers and exploded. John: "Not even less than a minute and you already need my help? Geese, Jamie, you really are out of practice." Jamie: "Hey, give me a break! I'm up here fighting five Strom Sworders with no assistance!" Storm Sworder Pilot3: "You shoulda' got more of us while you had the element of surprise!" One of the Strom Sworders began firing at Light Wing who quickly dodged. Storm Sworder Pilot1: "Hey, you three take on the dragon, you, we're going after the Raynos!" Strom Sworder Pilots: "Roger!" John: "Shit..."

****

Vega: "Rahhh!!!" The Fury plunged its claw deep into the head of an Elephander, then turned around and began firing at the on coming Molgas. Molga Pilot1: "We may not win but we're taking you with us!!!" Vega: "Ha, that's a laugh!" The Fury picked off the last of them then left the battle field. Vega: "That's the last base I had to clear time to go back." Command Wolf Pilot: "Well that was weird." Godos Pilot: "Tell me about it." Gojulas Giga: "Still, it was nice to have his assistance." The Fury, which was now using its thrusters, sped across the dry dessert area it was in. Vega: "Well that was fun. I have to admit I almost felt the way I used to back when I was a kid...I miss those days." Vega looked down and smiled lightly then let out a deep sigh.

****

Brad: "Holy fuck!!!" Ted: "There're thousands of them!" Leon: "Why are there so many!!!" Bit: "Damn it this is not good." Bit, Brad, Leon and Ted looked at the enormous army ahead of them. The base they were assaulting was huge and had hundreds of guns and missile launchers that were firing like mad. A large line Gojulases, Gojulas Gigas, Cannon Tortoises, Command Wolves, König Wolves, Gun Blasters, Shield Ligers and even a few Blade Ligers held them back. There were even Gun Snipers and Snipe Masters on the base shooting out at the enemy with their sniper rifles. In contrast the Enemy had almost every zoid they could get including a few Gojulases and König Wolves. Bit: "Why wasn't this place our first target...?" Leon: "No idea, but maybe we need a plan." Brad: "Like what?" Ted: "Maybe we snipe the big ones from a distance and aim for ones with missile launchers and stuff." Bit: "...well I'm all for it."

****

John: "Damn it, hold still and let me shoot you!!!" Light Wing was firing like mad at the Storm Sworders that flew around it in an attempt to shoot them down. Storm Sworder Pilot4: "Tempting as that is I'm afraid we'll have to decline." Jamie: "Argh!!!" The two Sworders had begun to ram the Raynos again just for the fun of it. Jamie: "Will you cut it out!!!" Storm Sworder Pilot3: "Aw, but it's so much fun!" John: "Grrrr, this is humiliating!" Light Wing fired its Homing Lasers but they curved off target. Storm Sworder Pilot5: "Sorry but we're well aware that your lasers have trouble hitting things at close range." John: "DIE!!!" Light Wing extended its blades, went into a barrel role and rammed into an enemy Storm Sworder. Storm Sworder Pilot5: "AHHHHH!!!" Strom Sworder Pilot6: "Okay that's it now you die!" The remaining two Storm Sworders following Light Wing began to shoot it relentlessly. John: "Damn it!!!" ???: "Watch your language!" John: "Huh? That voice..." The two Storm Sworders wings were suddenly cut off by some unseen force. Storm Sworder Pilots4and6: "NOOOO!!!"

Jamie: "Uh...what just happened?" John: "...uh..." A black Storm Sworder with sapphire eyes suddenly phased into view next to Light Wing. Yuna: "Honestly John, it took years for you to stop cursing so much, what happens if you slip in front of the kids?" John: "Yuna?!?!?! Jamie: "Huh? John, what's your wife doing here?" John: "I wish I knew." Yuna: "Don't act so surprised. I've been worried sick so I asked N.U.C.L.S.S. where you were." John: "It figures." Yuna's Storm Sworder phased out of view again. Storm Sworder Pilot3: "Oh shit." Gun fire that seemed to come from no where began to hit the tow remaining Fire Wind Storm Sworders until they blew up. Jamie: "Whoa. That was amazing. I didn't even see the muzzle flashes." John: "Of course you didn't. Yuna's Stealth Storm Sworder, or Triple S as some call it, has a gattling gun on its underside that is completely incased in armor that extends beyond the end of the gun to hide muzzle flashes." Yuna's Triple S reappeared. Yuna: "So where to next?" John: "Uh...the next base is 100 kilometers north from here." Yuna: "Great, let's go!" Jamie: "Something wrong John?" John: "Well...although I've always encouraged Yuna to be strong, it somehow feels demeaning having her save me."

****

Vega: "Hey Doctor Layon, I'm back." Vega jumped out of the Fury and walked into the Great Whale King's Hanger. Layon: "Ah, Vega. You're back already." Vega: "I take it the others haven't returned then." Layon: "Correct. Currently John and Jamie have two more targets left and oddly enough John's wife Yuna has joined them." Vega: "Hmm. Interesting. What about Bit and the others?" Layon: "They're at their last target but a problem has come up." Vega: "A problem?" Layon: "There was a mistake in the data and the bas they're trying to liberate is huge. The army Fire Wind has sent to take it is enormous and I worry if they can pull off a win." Vega: "...where are they?" Dr. Layon looked at Vega for a second, puzzled then he understood. Layon: "...I'll download the coordinates into the Fury's computer now.

****

Bit: "Ahhh!!!" Liger dove at a red D-Bison and cut of its guns and head. Leon: "There's too many of them!!!" The Red Blade Liger went into its shield charge and crashed into a group of Rev Raptors. Ted: "They're fuckin' endless!!!" The Zero X sank its teeth into the arm of an Iron Kong. Brad: "Just Die!!!" The Shadow Fox was firing madly at a black and red Gojulas. Leon: "Bit, I hate to say it but this is hopeless!" Bit: "Shut up!!! We have to keep fighting!!!" Liger crashed right through an Elephander with the Five Blade Attack. Bit: "We'll fight all night if we have too!!!" Ted: "That's easier said then done! The Zero X fired wildly at a charging Dark Spinner with both of its guns. Bit: "We have no choice!!!" Liger fired its pulse gun at several on coming Hel Cats. Brad: "Rahhh!!!" The Shadow Fox disappeared into a cloud of smoke and continued to fire from it. Bit: "We have to stop them at all cost!!!" Just then and Saber Tiger lunged at Liger's back. Bit: "What?! No!!!" The Tiger was about to land when knocked back by the tail of a Gojulas Giga. Gojulas Giga Pilot: "Hold them back!!!" Several König Wolves came charging through the ranks and viciously attacked the enemy zoids. Bit stared in awe for a few seconds before regaining his composure and continuing the attack.

****

Light Wing, the Raynos and the Triple S flew away from the last battle field, the ground now littered with the remains of enemy zoids. Jamie: "Dang, I didn't know Yuna was such a good fighter." John: "What, do you think we got to Class S on my skills alone?" Yuna: "That's nice of you two to say but I seem to remember you teaching me most of the things I know about zoid battles, John." John: "Yeah well...Anyways you should get back. We can take things from here." Yuna: "Right. Come home soon." The Triple S changed course and left. Jamie: "Don't want her risking her life too, eh?" John: "Yeah well there's that." Jamie: "Huh?" John: "Jamie, I like to think there is a heaven, a place where our souls go after death and I'd like to think both Yuna and I have earned a place there. If I die during this mess I'd like her to be there with me so I don't have to wait sixty something years to see her again. I do, however, know the pain of losing parents and I really don't want my kids to have to experience that until there fully grown and have children of there own." Jamie: "...well we need to get back. The others are probably there already and are gonna rub it in that we're last to finish."

****

Bit: "YAAAHHH!!!" Liger's glowing claw came down on the cockpit of a Stealth Viper, completely crushing it. Bit: "(pant), (pant) Come on guys, we can't give up now!" Everyone was panting and sweating bullets as they continued to fight, their morale low their bodies weak and their zoids beat up they couldn't keep it up much longer. Brad: "I...won't...let...you bastards...win!" The Shadow Fox came down hard on the back of a Saber Tiger then jumped of and did the same to a nearby Hel Cat. The small bits of the army that had fought there way back had been knocked down except for two Gojulases and a Gojulas Giga. Leon and Ted were surrounded and trying desperately to cut there way through. The Gun Snipers and Snipe Masters that had been firing from the base had long since run out of ammo as had the cannons and missile launchers on the base. Most of the heavy weapon zoids had been taken out by Bit and the others earlier and almost all of the zoids were out of ammo and fighting with teeth and claws.

Leon: "Hate to ask, but can someone help us!" The Blade Liger and Zero X were using what little energy and ammo they had left to shoot back advancing troops. Brad: "I'm kinda tied up here!" Bit: "Hang on guys on coming!" Liger began jumping over and on top of zoids to get to the surrounded Blade Liger and Zero X. Bit: "Strike...Laser...CLAW!!!" The Zero Phantom came down on two zoids on the outer circle and with the Laser Claws still running began to slash wildly at everything in its path. The zoids surrounding the Blade Liger and Zero X began to panic and run around as the Liger Zero continued thrashing around and taking down everything in its path. Bit: "Just die!" Leon: "Bit! Look out!!!" Bit: "Huh? Ungh!!!" The Liger was knocked onto its side by an Iron Kong and all of the zoids around it began to swarm like vultures to a carcass. Bit: "Rahh!!! Damn it. Get off me!!!" The Liger thrashed wildly in an attempt to free itself but to no avail. Bit: "Damn, this doesn't look good Liger!" The Liger's computers began to flash and activate every energy weapon it had. Bit: "Liger! What are you doing?! You know what's gonna happen if you do that! What the hell?!" Bit was suddenly ejected from the cockpit and found himself hanging in mid-air as his parachute opened. Bit watched in horror as he saw Ligers body begin to glow as all of Ligers energy was being put out. Bit knew what Liger was doing he was purposely overloading all of his systems and if he did that...the Liger Zero roared in pain as it was engulfed in a huge ball of fire from its own armor exploding. Bit: "...LIGER!!!!!!"

****

S.D. Well that certainly was exciting. Knuckles: You sure know how to go out with a bang, don't you? S.D. Knuckles, that was a terrible, terrible pun. Oh and it seems fan fics new "improvements" have once again screwed me over making it so I can't put brackets (which I can't even write anymore) inbetween paragraphs anymore. But, I'm sure what's eating at everyone is will Bit's team be okay, is Liger gone, where is Fire Wind's base and how are our heroes going to find it? Don't worry I'll try to update as fast as possible. Knuckles: Yeah you'll TRY. S.D. Shut up Knuckles. Well see you next time and until then aloha! Knuckles: Bye! ...hey doesn't aloha mean hello? S.D. It means hello and goodbye and considering we came in wearing Hawaiian shirts it seemed appropriate. Knuckles: Oh yeah I guess it is. S.D. Oh by the way, I feel kind stupid asking but if could someone please tell me who to contact the people who run Fanfic , I need to have a word or three with them about their so called improvements.


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